Winter Release
by StarsOfYaoi
Summary: -Editing- *ItaNaru* Kyuubi's secret is out, Akatsuki is attacking, and he is fighting to be strong enough to take Sasuke back... only to fall for his best friend's worst enemy. Naruto may have to deal with more than requested...
1. Reality Strikes

**Edited:** 14/04/2011

**StarsOfYaoi****:** hello, Naruto fandom! I am SOY! :) I used to have another account, but things happened and thus I created a new one. I hope you will stick with me enough to read my fics!

**Note:** I am a firm believer in ICism and grammar. If you think I fail in one or both, feel free to drop me a comment, telling me how to improve too. NO bashing.

This takes place after Sasuke runs off to Orochimaru. Since I started writing this fic in 2006, when the truth of the Itachi's actions hadn't been revealed yet, the motivations behind exterminating the Uchiha are kind of different from the now canon.

I hope you enjoy! :)

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angsty, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 01****: Reality Strikes**

Silence.

There was a thick silence, and Naruto liked it.

Maybe it was because of the snow, white and fluffy, that was falling from the grey, clouded sky, almost softening and soothing all the noise, or maybe it was because at this hour of the night, no one was around, but Naruto felt finally able to relax.

His blue eyes flickered above the houses of Konohagakure, taking in how beautiful the village looked from above the Hokage Mountain, on top of the Fourth's head.

It was his favourite place where to sit, because from that spot he could see the entire village at his feet in all its splendour.

He admired the sight, uncaring for the cold and blind to everything but the beauty of his village; white covered the rooftops and the streets, the trees and the mountains around him, and it covered even the faces carved in the stone he was sitting on, making them almost unrecognizable.

He loved it.

Shifting the scarf around his neck, shivering because of the cold washing through him (he had known for a long time that as vessel of a Fire demon he would be affected by the cold more than any normal person), Naruto rubbed his palms together to warm his hands up a bit, eyes still fixed on that breathtaking sight below him.

In moments like these, he could understand why people like Sandaime and Yondaime had given up their life to protect this village.

Feeling his stomach twist painfully, he was then reminded that no one had allowed him to leave his bed, and he slowly made his way down the mountain, returning to the hospital with slow and soft steps, soothed by the snow giving in under his weight.

Almost two months had passed ever since he'd returned from the 'let's rescue Sasuke–teme' mission, which had been a sheer fiasco, having four of the five involved coming back almost dead, with no Sasuke.

Although Shikamaru blamed it all on himself, bravely accepting the entire fault for the unsuccessful mission, no one really held him responsible; Naruto himself knew it was not his fault, and he'd supported his friend as much as he could, especially after making sure the remaining three were also fine.

Someone had blamed _him_, though.

Sakura.

The pink haired kunoichi did not take well the fact that Sasuke wasn't brought back when Naruto had returned. She hadn't spared a glance to the other four that were barely alive, but when she had realised that Naruto had broken his promise, she had blamed it all on him.

Her voice still echoed in his mind, taunting him and accusing him –after that, she had never tried to speak with him, and even now, two months later, she still couldn't look at him in the eye.

Naruto knew that he shouldn't feel this bad –he could understand her anger and her disappointment, of course, but it still _hurt_ to remember her words.

"_You couldn't take him back even when you promised, Naruto! I trusted you, and you couldn't even take Sasuke–kun back! How could you, Naruto?__ What kind of a ninja are you, if you can't even keep your promise!"_

It had felt like his heart had been crushed under steely claws, and he shook his head to chase those thoughts away; this wasn't the time to brood in misery. He couldn't even tell Sakura that Sasuke had tried to kill him because that would break the perfect image of the Uchiha she had… and although Naruto still cared for her deeply, his heart didn't warm up anymore when she was close to him.

Maybe it was her careless words spoken out of rage and pain, but… the feelings he had for her were gone. If anything, he thought of her as a friend…

She _had_ been his friend, but after not speaking with her for months, he wasn't sure of that anymore either.

The only thing that comforted him at the moment was that the Ero–Sennin had promised he would _train_ him. The moment his injuries were completely healed, they would leave Konoha; he would train, he would become strong enough to take Sasuke back where he belonged… to Konoha.

Maybe Naruto didn't have the respect he sought, but Sasuke, no matter what he did or what he would maybe do in the future, was still cared for by Konoha; he was the last Uchiha, the survivor. Worshipped for his name only…

The village still admired him.

Naruto did not know what the others (the rest of the Rescue Five) thought about the Uchiha teen after their failed mission, but he was sure that the village would be glad to have him back, even if Sasuke was a missing–nin now.

After all, he was still the last of the Uchiha. They would probably forgive everything in order to have him back… after all, nobody knew what had caused him to leave nor _what_ he had done in order to leave.

Only three people knew why Sasuke had left, these three being Jiraiya, Tsunade and Naruto himself –Tsunade had decided to explain it to him when he was still in bed recovering, so that Naruto would _understand_ what was going through his teammate's mind.

Naruto felt responsible, because he had allowed his best friend to run away in order to get the power he desired… the power to kill his brother.

In a way, if Sasuke had succeeded in killing him, then he wouldn't have needed to defect for Orochimaru; he would have perhaps returned to the village with the Mangekyou Sharingan and train it in there. Besides, no one would have really missed Naruto, except maybe Iruka–sensei and Tsunade… but Naruto was not one to linger in self–pity, and he had no intentions to die either –he wanted to reach his goals in life, and he would not renounce to them simply to give his friend a weapon.

That fuelled his anger, too –Sasuke had no rights to drag Naruto down with him at all.

Feeling a trickle of wet snow seep through his clothes –he had stopped in the middle of the street while thinking about Sasuke– Naruto finally snapped out from his musings and forcibly shook his head.

He was still alive and had no intention of giving his life for Sasuke… but even then, his dream of becoming Hokage felt now even more unreachable.

"Naruto?"

His head snapped to the right, and he was quite surprised to see Neji, Shikamaru, Chouji, Lee, Hinata, Shino and Kiba standing there, looking at him, covered up with coats and scarves to fight off the cold and the snow; they were staring at him with equal surprise –well, by what he could see that wasn't covered by their clothing.

"G… guys? What are you doing here at this time?" for a moment, Naruto forgot he was supposed to smile and act boisterously and simply stared at them, drained out of energy.

He really didn't even feel like smiling.

All the teens were aware of the strange mood lingering on the blond, and didn't know what to say, feeling uneasy at the sight of him acting so calm and out of character; this Naruto, the Naruto that came back from the rescue mission, was different. Something had changed, and they did not like it –they wanted to do something _against_ this change.

If Naruto was suffering, they wanted to relieve that pressure. They were his friends.

"We were coming to see you! The moment we noticed it was snowing, I thought we could get together and have some fun… some of us were quite sick of being stuck into a hospital!" Kiba replied with a smirk, but he somehow looked incomplete without Akamaru on his head, as the dog was still recovering.

Naruto blinked.

They were coming to see him?

Shikamaru stuffed his hands in his pockets, "how troublesome, we just wanted to stick together, that's all," he shrugged, looking away.

Hinata blushed and smiled shyly at the blond teen, fidgeting and tapping her fingers together and stepping towards him. "Ah… er, Naruto–kun, if you want… to just come with us… that would be… great!" her smile grew a bit.

Naruto blinked once more, feeling the weight that had been till then on his chest lift all of sudden, replaced by a deep warmth spreading through his body. True, they were his friends… "Oh, of course! Let's have a snowball fight!"

"Yes! Your flame of youth still burns strong–" Lee exclaimed, before Neji and Kiba hastily covered his mouth to make him shut up.

"Hush, Lee!" Neji hissed, frowning. "We don't want anyone to realise we're here –more so since some of us should still be in their hospital rooms!"

"How troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, though his tone was laced with amusement.

But all of them turned and moved to a larger space, preparing themselves for the play.

Shino simply followed, and Chouji resumed eating his potatoes.

…–…–…–…

Tsunade was deeply asleep, her head resting on the desk, when a shadowed figure appeared inside the office, making only a soft sound to alert the Hokage of his presence.

Her eyes snapped open when she felt the chakra signature flare up, ready to fight, but then she recognized it and relaxed lightly, looking at him with confusion.

"What are you doing here, _Usagi_?" she asked the masked ANBU, the one with the mask of a rabbit.

The figure bowed slightly to her, before stepping forwards.

"Intruders have been spotted around Konoha, Hokage–sama," he replied, his voice deep and lined with worry. "Two of them. They don't seem like they want to attack, but when questioned they refused to speak and walked away".

Tsunade frowned, biting her lip in confusion.

Two visitors this late, and they even refused to speak when interrogated… who were they? Did they mean harm to the village? If so, why hadn't they attacked the ANBU as soon as they were cornered?

She stood up. "Can you describe me their appearance?"

The _Usagi_ masked ANBU nodded, "although I couldn't see their faces, one of them is tall and has something strapped on his back that looks like a giant wrapped sword, and the other is a little shorter. Both kept their faces hidden".

Nothing in the description caught Tsunade's attention, so she was ready to dismiss the situation until the two were sighted again, reserving her judgment for later, but what the ANBU said next caused her to freeze.

"… and they were both wearing the same cloak, black with red clouds on it".

Tsunade's eyes widened as she turned around to glare at the ANBU, "go to Jiraiya and tell him to go to the hospital, and then go call Kakashi and Gai".

The ANBU could only nod in confusion before disappearing, and Tsunade bit her lip worriedly. Jiraiya had said… Jiraiya had said that Akatsuki would not come for Naruto for at least a few years, so why were they here _now_?

'_Naruto, please, be safe,'_ she prayed as she performed some hand seals, disappearing from the room and heading to the front gates.

…–…–…–…

Naruto chuckled as he hit Kiba with a snowball right on his face, receiving a few curses as he ducked and started running away, chased by the angered Inuzuka teen all around the place.

It had been a long time since the last time he had been allowed to relax like that, playing around with his friends –especially with his friends.

It felt… nice.

He was so deep into his thoughts that he didn't feel the chakra signature approaching, and when a figure appeared right in front of him him he couldn't stop and the two collided. The impact sent Naruto on the snow, whilst the other figure stepped back in order not to fall down as well.

The blond teen lifted his head up, wondering what he had collided against, and met with a black and white uniform; the person standing there was an ANBU, wearing a rabbit mask. The man looked imposing and Naruto shifted away from him almost unconsciously, standing up and brushing the snow away from his clothes.

Scratching the back of his head, his friends forgotten, Naruto smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bump against you," he laughed, embarrassed.

The masked ANBU stared down at the Kyuubi vessel and even if his face was hidden from sight, his eyes were narrowed in disgust and rage. Hatred flashed on his features at the sight of the 'demon child', and his aura darkened enough that even Naruto noticed it.

The other teens stopped playing and turned around, seeing Naruto standing before an ANBU member; something was wrong, but none of them could understand what, nor why the _Usagi_ was emanating such a dark aura.

The ANBU was old enough to have been present at the fight between the Yondaime and Kyuubi, and had been skilled enough to come back alive, but that battle had been carved into his mind forever, because that dreaded day he had lost his best friend and lover to the kitsune.

And now, he had to see that demon –who had not been killed but instead sealed into a newborn baby– stand in front of him. The very demon that killed his dear Karia, that caused so many causalities to the village, that killed the Yondaime himself.

He saw the demon every day walking around the village, smiling as if nothing was wrong, but the ANBU didn't have any doubt –soon he would show his real face and attack again. It was all an act to convince people to stop being suspicious of him.

Why had the Hokage been so adamant in protecting that demon? And even afterwards, the new Hokage was on his side, too. Didn't they realise what kind of illusion they were under? Keeping him in the village was like allowing him free reign on their lives…

He was nothing but a demon, a _monster_!

The ANBU had known better, though –he had kept himself away from the demon for the last thirteen years, waiting in the shadows unable to even set his eyes on him for fear of going against the Hokage's orders… but now the filthy demon had dared _touching_ him, all the while looking up at him and saying _he was sorry_…

Well, it was enough for his rationality to disappear completely.

He didn't care if the Sandaime had ordered the village and the shinobi not to speak of the demon in front of the newest generations; he didn't care if there were kids who did not know of the secret just a few feet away from him.

He simply wanted the demon to pay, to **die**.

"How can you even _think_ about touching me, you **filthy monster**?" he hissed, the hatred and the disgust in his voice making Naruto flinch.

Blue eyes widened in panic as he realised that the man he had bumped onto was one of the many who still hated him; the happiness he'd felt until seconds before was gone, and silence fell around them. This time, though, the silence was uncomfortable and tense, and he was painfully aware of the shocked stares his friends behind him were giving the man.

They were all stunned to hear a collected ANBU speak this way to their friend, and they couldn't understand why he reacted like that only because Naruto bumped against him.

"I…" Naruto gasped when he felt strong fingers curl around his neck.

"W–what are you doing? Let him go! What did he do to you?" Kiba and Lee stepped forwards, snapping out of their shock enough to try and rescue their friend.

The ANBU's attitude was distressing.

"What… what did he _do_ to _me_?" the ANBU turned his covered face towards them, his grip on Naruto's neck tightening as the blond fought to free himself from him.

Naruto had hard time breathing, and tried to nail the hands holding his neck, without avail. "Gah…" he groaned out, desperately wriggling around, but the grip was too strong –the ANBU was choking him…

"He killed my lover, he killed so _many people_ of this village! How could Sandaime protect him? How could he allow such a disgusting, shameful monster to live right in the same village he tried to destroy?"

"Let… let Naruto–kun go!" Hinata cried, worry and astonishment curling in her stomach.

Naruto–_kun_?

The man's grip around Naruto's neck loosened and the blond fell on the snow–covered ground again, coughing hard and panting, his hands coming to rest protectively on his neck as he breathed, air filling his lungs again.

'_Such an endearing suffix, directed at this filthy being! He fooled all our children, he fooled the Sandaime and even the Godaime! He must be __dealt with! To get the world rid of his presence once for all!'_

"You know nothing of this monster!" the ANBU's voice was chilling cold as he turned to the teens, that now had advanced towards Naruto and the man to protect their friend from the insane jounin. "He fooled you all, made you think he was harmless! But he's a monster!"

"Watch what you are saying," Neji stated calmly. "Naruto is our _friend_, and by no means is he a demon, nor a monster, and he surely did not kill _anyone_".

Naruto stood up again, panting, but feeling panic slowly creep up his chest as the man laughed out hard and roughly.

"He killed so many people and yet, he fooled you into befriending him… but I can see beneath that surface, I can see he's waiting to strike and kill again and again, because his lust for blood will not be satisfied!"

Naruto looked back and forth from his friends to the man, stepping forwards, deciding he should just try to distract the ANBU so he would not say anything he shouldn't, "look, I am sorry, I _really_ didn't mean to bump…"

"Sorry! A demon can't be _sorry_! You killed my lover, it was _you_! How can you think any of us will be able to forgive you for destroying the village?" the man glared again at Naruto, the mask hiding his hatred-filled eyes and his grimace. "You deserve _death_! The Uchiha heir deserved to be still here, whilst you deserve to _die_!"

Naruto could feel the others gasp in shock behind him, but he couldn't turn to look at them. The man's words had rattled him deeply.

"It wasn't me, I didn't kill anyone," he mumbled to the man. "Please, believe me, I didn't–"

A strong punch on the jaw silenced him and sent him flying away; Naruto could feel a bruise forming and he heard one of his friends approach with a gasp, but the ANBU was quicker, positioning himself between his friends and him.

Standing up slowly, ears buzzing, Naruto grimaced and cracked his jaw, feeling the pain subside quickly as he gritted his teeth.

"Don't you see? He can heal himself so fast, he isn't _human_!" the man stated, pointing at Naruto's face. The blond teen grimaced, feeling the jaw snap back to its place. "For how much you could stab him, he will still heal! He must be _killed_! And you, kids, you don't even know who he is, and the pain and the grief he caused thirteen years ago!"

"But he wasn't even _born_ thirteen years ago!" Kiba glared, now completely sure the man had lost it. "You are insane!"

The man laughed again, but this time the laugh was creepy and sent shudders down all the teens' backs.

"Oh, _insane_?" in a flash he grabbed Naruto again, forcing him on the floor by twisting his arm behind his back, causing him to cry at the sharp pain that ran through him.

"Naruto!" the teens cried out.

"Naruto–kun!" Hinata gasped out, pale.

"Look _here_! Look how insane I am, look at the truth!" the man grabbed Naruto's coat and forced it open, and then he lifted his shirt, revealing his belly.

Without waiting a second more, he pressed his hand on Naruto's belly and sent a chakra wave to it.

Under the shocked stares of the other teens, something started appearing on Naruto's belly, a delicate spiral that sneaked through his lower abdomen in a circular motion, surrounded by kanji and symbols.

Neji and Hinata gasped, having recognized the pattern as a strong binding seal.

"What… what's _that_?" Kiba growled, suddenly unsure.

"No! Let me go!" Naruto started struggling, but was rewarded by another twist of his arm, and he flinched in pain, still exposed to the stares of his friends.

"I will tell you, kids, so you will know better than to befriend a monster," a smirk made its way on the man's face, and even if they couldn't see it under the _Usagi_ mask, the tone of voice was clear enough to _feel_ it.

"**No! Please **_**no**_**!**" Naruto begged, now panicking.

He was going to tell them, and they would reject him like the rest of the village! They would hate him! They would be disgusted by him like everyone else was!

The small bubble of happiness and reassurance he had built with them would…

The ANBU laughed again, amused, and let go of Naruto; the boy backed away from him, but with a soft gasp also kept himself away from his friends, eyes wide and filled with fear.

"This monster is the Nine Tailed Fox Demon, that was sealed inside him thirteen years ago by Yondaime Hokage!" the ANBU continued laughing, but his laugh was bitter and filled with hatred. "Sandaime passed a law to prevent us from telling you, because this way he could have a 'normal childhood' but he's not _human_! He deceived all of you and I can't stand it anymore!"

Naruto's heart stopped.

Everything seemed to move at a slow, languid pace, as if the world was suddenly far from him. he stood up again, eyes wide and unseeing, his heart racing so loudly in his ears that any other sound felt dulled out.

_**They knew.**_

Ocean blue eyes turned to look at his friends, who were staring back at him in shock, and the question in their eyes was clear –was the ANBU telling the truth?

He saw them staring and he couldn't _stand_ it; he knew they would end up hating him, fearing him, or worst, _pitying_ him.

He didn't want that, he didn't want them to hate him, they were his only friends! He lost Sasuke because he was not strong enough, he lost Sakura because he had broken a promise with her, and now he was losing them because of what was sealed inside of him.

He couldn't… couldn't…

So he did something he had never done before –he turned around and ran away.

He ran as far as he could, hot tears falling from his eyes, freezing on his cheeks because of the cold, melting with the snowflakes against his skin.

…–…–…–…

They knew. They _knew_. _They knew_.

The words were spinning around in his mind, confusing him, _hurting_ him. Over and over again, every time sending twinges in his chest that grew more painful the more he thought about it.

They knew.

_They knew._

'_No… no… no!'_

They shouldn't have found out in such a situation –he had never thought he would have to run from his friends for something that was out of his control.

He kept on running, he didn't know where to, but _away_ from the village, away from the probably disgusted faces of his friends, away from the hatred.

He couldn't stand it.

The moment he had allowed himself to relax, even if only a bit, all his life had shattered.

He stumbled on the fresh snow, crying hard as he lifted himself up again, not caring if he was now cold and wet from the snow, not caring at all. He just wanted to run away.

How could he have been this blind to… everything? How?

He kept running, not aware he was leaving the confines of the village and had entered the forest, the shadows of the trees looming over him almost menacingly –but he still didn't care.

What he really feared was rejection, and he couldn't stand it. Not now.

Never.

That's when he bumped into something again.

He fell on the ground without a sound, feeling the snow seep into his clothes to freeze him, and wiped the tears away from his face, looking up to see what had hit him. As he did so, he realised that more snow was falling, and the temperature had dropped some more. He was cold.

Still, he felt colder inside at the moment.

With eyes stinging from the cold, Naruto looked up, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu as he did so… but with tears blurring his vision, he could not recognise the figure standing in front of him.

He wiped his cheeks again and stood up, thinking that maybe it was just a tree, but then he noticed something flapping in the cold wind, and frowned, finally drying the tears and wiping his eyes dry.

And then he did recognize him.

Crimson eyes, so red they looked like molten lava, similar to Sasuke's ones, but different all the same, colder and emotionless like Sasuke's eyes had never been. Black hair tied up in a small ponytail, with a weird hat covering up his head, a Konohagakure hitai–ate with a slash that went through the leaf symbol and a long, black cloak with a pattern of red clouds on it.

Fright slithered through Naruto and clawed at his chest as he stared up into the burning hells that were the man's crimson eyes; the very person he had thought he would not meet for the following three years was right in front of him, glaring down at him with emotionless eyes.

The one person that Sasuke wanted to kill so badly he had deserted his village after trying to murder his best friend.

Uchiha Itachi.

_Akatsuki was here._

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** so, this was the first chapter. Please drop me a review so I know if you've liked it! Thank you!


	2. Reaction

**Edited:** 14/04/2011

**StarsOfYaoi****:** this is the second chapter, slightly longer than the first. Akatsuki has appeared, or at least Itachi and Kisame did. :P things might get complicated soon, but I hope I'll be able to follow through with the original timeline… though not completely, of course.

Enjoy!

Ah, right, there will be some side pairings, though the spotlight will be with Naruto and Itachi. Possible side couples are Shino/Kiba and Neji/Shika, with possible mentions of KakaIru (though nothing big) and Lee/Gaara or Lee/Sakura, depending on how the fic itself goes. Anyway, it's nothing you should concern yourself with as they might only be mentioned and that's it.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angsty, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 02****: Reaction**

_Fright slithered through Naruto and clawed at his chest as he stared up into the burning hells that were the man's crimson eyes; the very person he had thought he would not meet for the following three years was right in front of him, glaring down at him with emotionless eyes._

_The one person that Sasuke wanted to kill so badly he had deserted his village after trying to murder his best friend._

_Uchiha Itachi._

_Akatsuki was here._

…–…

Hastily scrambling away from the figure standing still in front of him, Naruto choked on the waves of fear washing through him, unable to think.

This was the one person who had defeated with ease even someone like Kakashi –who was considered a genius in Konoha– and that had made it into the ANBU at thirteen. There was no way for Naruto to even think about fighting him –he wouldn't make it if Itachi wanted to attack…

Naruto was not stupid. Itachi was way above his league…

To say he was scared would have been an understatement… he was totally and utterly _frightened_.

The feeling wasn't unknown, as every time he met someone way stronger than him, he could feel the gap between their strengths and thus be afraid –it had happened with Zabuza, during that mission of long ago, then it had happened with Orochimaru and Gaara, and then, twice with Itachi.

But like this… this was ten times worse. Just by meeting that deathly stare, the complete absence of emotions, the confidence and the coldness those eyes exuded… Naruto knew that Itachi would not stop until he completed his mission –and that was to take Naruto away.

He'd do anything, even cut Naruto's arms and legs away if that meant the teen would not escape him… Naruto was painfully aware of that, because that first time, when the fish–face had proposed exactly that, Itachi hadn't said no.

_Nothing_ mattered to Itachi, nothing at all.

Naruto was cold.

Everything that had happened before, his friends searching for him, the ANBU revealing his secret… everything was forgotten, blurred away in his panicky mind… because he knew, he knew, he _knew_ he was doomed.

He was alone somewhere in the forest surrounding Konoha, and even he didn't know where. No one was around, no one would know if Itachi took him away… he'd be gone, and nobody would even know where he'd disappeared to, or why…

Would anybody care? Would anyone feel bad if he were to disappear like this? Or would the village be glad he was gone, be glad that the threat of the Kyuubi was finally taken away from them? They _would_ be glad, because… because no one ever acknowledged Naruto as a person instead than as the demon. He was hated, so maybe… no one would really care…

Naruto shook those thoughts away, because he couldn't dwell on this now. No self–pity, not now, **not ever**. The only thing he could do at the moment was run, run away and try to reach Tsunade.

Yes, she would help him, and Jiraiya as well. _'The two of them would miss me!'_ he cried to himself, in distress, as he tried to force his body to move. _'They would care… they __**do**__ care! Iruka–sensei too!'_

He had to move, to fight the fear, because he didn't want to lose the ones he cared for. Because he cared, and he knew (_he wished_) they cared too.

"Well, what a pleasant occurrence, Naruto–kun," Itachi's voice caused Naruto to freeze.

It was not cold. It was not warm. It was… nothing. The voice was void of any emotion, any tone, and it was chilling in its emptiness. Crimson eyes were looking down at him, the commas of the Sharingan intensifying in the glare.

But really, it wasn't a _glare_, because glaring would have meant showing some kind of emotion, which he was not. Itachi looked hollow.

A black hole.

'_No!'_ Naruto shook his head forcibly and he stepped back, shaking, gritted teeth, fist clenching and unclenching, breathe ragged.

"Don't try to run, Naruto–kun," Itachi said, tone almost pleasant if not for the chilling lack of emotion. "I don't want to start chasing you around".

There was a low undertone of warning in his words, but Naruto did not care.

He backed away more, eyes darting around to see if there was a chance for him to run, panicking even more when he felt a surge of chakra coming from behind him. He turned and in shock saw another figure, taller than Itachi but wearing the same black cloak, visible in the snow falling around them like a dot of ink on a white paper.

He had seen the other man once already, the same day he'd met with Itachi. _'Tsunade obaa–chan once said they move in pairs,'_ Naruto's mind reminded him. _'I wonder how they can do it if they are nine'_. He had to call himself idiot for that one, but his mind could come up with really stupid things in the most inopportune moments.

His brain tried to focus on the situation, ignoring anything else. He knew he couldn't fight, hell, even if it was only one of them he couldn't hope to land a blow.

'_They will kill me__,'_ he thought trembling, blue eyes flashing from one of the two silent and unmoving figures to the other. _'Not here, but they will kill me if they catch me, and I can't do a damn thing against it… no! I don't __**want**__ to die!'_

He wanted to live. He didn't want to sacrifice his life for his friend, no matter what Sasuke wanted, and he seriously didn't want a stupid organization to extract the demon from him –not if he'd die because of that! Being freed from the demon would be nice, but not in exchange for his life.

Seeing his friends in the village, before, playing around with them, having fun for the first time in a long while… it had filled him with happiness. It made him feel like he belonged somewhere, finally.

And now, he risked losing everything because of a stupid demon…?

_No._

He _wouldn't_ let this happen. He wasn't a coward, he was going to become the Rokudaime Hokage one day! He couldn't let someone like Itachi, or the fish–face guy either, try to stop him or kill him.

All they wanted was the Kyuubi inside him. all they cared for was extracting the demon.

Like the villagers, like that ANBU before… they were all seeing the demon, they never saw Naruto behind that. The person behind the demon.

Well then, he would show all of them that they were wrong –that they were underestimating him. he'd show them that Uzumaki Naruto was more than that stupid fox demon.

He was positive, always had been, through his childhood and even afterwards, he had looked up and hoped for the best, because he believed in himself, and he would make things change. Of course he wouldn't give up now, would he?

Never.

"Try me," he said, smirking –a shaky smirk, but one nonetheless.

As an answer, he got a raised eyebrow courtesy of Itachi, while the other one, Fish–face (Naruto _really_ didn't care about his name, at least not in such a situation) extracted the lump on his back and unsheathed a giant sword by unrolling the soppy bandages. Naruto gaped at it, in awe at the size of the weapon once again.

It was… well, its name spoke the truth. Samehada, skin of shark. It was not a blade per se, but a collection of scales, or pieces of skin. He'd never really seen it in a fight, but Naruto would bet a stock of ramen that the smallest contact would give him a shocking damage.

Not to mention the other power the sword had… the ability to suck chakra, which he had indeed experienced once on his own.

Naruto knew there was no time to waste there.

He had to run _now_.

"Can we at least cut an arm, or something, Itachi–san," it didn't sound like a question, much more like a demand. Fish–face's voice was deep and husky, almost if he was looking forwards to spilling some blood.

Some of _his_ blood, Naruto had to inwardly add. Which only made it worse.

Itachi stared at his companion without bothering to reply, and the other simply shut up. It looked like Itachi scared off his own companions as well as his enemies…

Naruto crouched on all four, praying to be lucky enough to manage to escape and reach Tsunade, not knowing anywhere else to go; he was in the forest, an environment that he felt comfortable into, snow or not, and that was an advantage.

Though he had to consider the weather.

To say that it was snowing harder would be an understatement, because it looked like a storm was building up, and as it was, Naruto could barely see behind Itachi's back –and the Uchiha shinobi was barely a few feet away from him.

Naruto bit down on his lower lip; in order to get away and use the snow at his advantage, he'd have to use a set of skills that he had grown to hate. When he'd been much younger he had used them without thinking, but after learning about Kyuubi, things had changed.

He was human, yes, but he was the vessel of a fox demon. Growing up, he had discovered having slightly advanced hearing and sense of smell –not overly so, but enough to help while running away from enraged villagers after he pulled one of his usual pranks.

After seeing the people around him react viciously to his enhanced senses, Naruto had stopped using them, feeling that if he was treated even more harshly because of them, maybe they were not worth using, in the end.

After finding out of his tenant, of course, Naruto understood where these particular skills came from.

He did still use them if he had to, especially since he couldn't just tune them off at will –but as the source of this power was not his own, he had felt better forgetting about it entirely.

Right now though, in a life-threatening situation, he needed all the help he could get, and he was not above using something he had received from Kyuubi, either.

He jumped.

Crimson eyes followed him as he flew in the air, landing on the lowest branch of the tree that was right above them, grabbing it with both hands and pulling himself upwards, briefly concentrating and closing his eyes.

He was running, and this time it wasn't a matter of cowardice, because his opponents were on a completely different level; he would never hope to beat them, not with his current strength and chakra… asking Kyuubi for help wouldn't work either, not because the demon wouldn't give him the power if asked (after all, Akatsuki would kill the demon, too, during the extraction), but simply because the cold affected the Fox too.

With the cold, he wasn't sure he would be able to use those powers.

No, he had to get to Tsunade. Trying to think rationally, Naruto quickly weighted his options; using his enhanced senses and his familiarity with the forest, he would maybe get to Konoha safely… using Kage Bunshin no jutsu wouldn't be an option either –he'd only waste chakra, since Itachi could use his Sharingan to detect the real Naruto between the copies.

No, Naruto wasn't stupid.

If anything, Naruto learned with practice, on the field, not on books. The fact that he acted boisterous and often reacted without thinking didn't mean he was a fool –he was just too hasty.

Still, if he kept his profile low, the probabilities of having the villagers attack him were lower, so he had allowed himself to fall into an easy pattern –he hadn't truly cared at that point, and then, with time, he'd fallen deeply into his mask, until even Naruto himself had started to believe it.

It was easy to be convinced of being stupid when he was told the same thing over and over all day, with villagers whispering behind his back, and even the teachers at the academy withdrawing information from him.

For years, Naruto had managed out, barely scraping as a ninja, but now, with so many enemies out to get him, with Sasuke away from Konoha to get more power by borrowing it from Orochimaru, with everything he was going through…

Naruto was slowly changing to fit in with the dangers he was encountering.

Masks of cheerfulness and idiocy were forgotten as he jumped from tree to tree, all noises dulled out by the snow covering the world around him.

As he jumped, Naruto kept his eyes close; he would be lost within the storm if he were to open them, so he relied solely on his other senses.

His nose caught on the scent of the two Akatsuki members that were following him –the distinctive scent that he filed away for later– so he tried his best to mask his chakra, suppressing it as much as he could; it wasn't enough –he was still a Genin, and the only one with a good control in his team was Sakura– but at least, if he was lucky enough, he could gain a few precious seconds.

It was hard to hear something, with the snow rushing in his ears, falling from the branches and onto the ground, the wind lashing against his face in harsh, raging blows, and the noises of his own movements amplified whenever he landed and crouched and jumped again –he concentrated on every single sound, increasing his speed with every step, fighting to be as inconspicuous as possible…

Landing on another branch he almost slipped, grabbing the bark with his fingers and hissing out as he realised they had grown numb from the cold.

His attention went outwards again when a chakra pulse suddenly appeared somewhere in front of him; it couldn't be Itachi's, nor Fish–face's, because they were still somewhere behind him. a part of him stiffened at the familiar feeling, but he was too caught up in his running to pay attention.

Hopeful that the person in front of him would be able to help, Naruto managed to speed up some more.

He opened his eyes when the chakra signature was at less than a few feet away from him, and through the snowstorm, he managed to recognise that the figure, a black dot amongst the whiteness around, was an ANBU.

The moment he landed in front of the man, who was observing his surroundings, the mask set in place, Naruto was hit by two thoughts.

First –the fact that he could sense Itachi and the Fish–face clearly as the two chased him down was strange; they were not masking their chakra at all… and that was against all rules about hunting a prey.

Maybe it was simply self confidence, but the fact that someone his level could still sense them this clearly… he shouldn't have been able to, which meant they _wanted_ him to.

They were playing with him. Chasing him around and knowing that no matter how far he could go or how fast he could run, they would still get him in the end.

And…

They knew their own strength, and knew that whoever was there, they would be able to take him on evenly.

Second– the ANBU in front of him had the same mask as the one who had revealed his friends about Kyuubi. He was the _Usagi_.

The ANBU member, protected from the harsh wind and snow by his mask, glared hard at the teen that had appeared in front of him. It was not enough he'd met the demon back in the village, and had to face the Genin who had been so deeply deceived by the monster to even dare calling him their friend… now during his patrolling (he had lost track of the two intruders and was looking for their chakra signature) he was _again_ disgraced by his presence.

"You–" he started, venom in his voice, but then, he felt an unknown chakra approaching and stilled.

With the chance of being helped gone, Naruto did not waste time thinking about the ANBU anymore; with the Akatsuki playing cat and mouse with him, he didn't have to stay around a man who uselessly hated him. There was no time.

Besides, any second mattered, and he had no intention to be defeated or captured. Even if he was afraid, even if against Itachi he was weak…

He would **never** accept defeat.

He jumped forwards.

An alarm went off in his head as his attention snapped to the right, only to see something coming his way so fast it was nothing but a blur. He reacted instantly and using his hands to prop himself upwards he managed to evade the blow, barely escaping from what he could now recognize as the sword of Itachi's partner, Fish–face.

That thing absorbed his chakra, and he abruptly suppressed his flow so not to let the sword steal it –Kami knew if he would need every single ounce of it.

As he floated in midair for a millisecond, eyes darting around, trying to discern where the attack had come from, the sword moved again, aiming at his head again.

'_Damn,'_ he thought, knowing he would not avoid it.

He prepared his arms for the hit and the blow sent him flying against a tree, his back slamming hard against the trunk. The pain racked through his body, and it hurt like hell, but there was no sound of snapping bones.

That was ok. He could still run.

He slumped down, sinking in the snow that was now reaching his hips. He was damn _cold_ –he _hated_ snow. He hated winter. His body was number than normal, and it also worked against Kyuubi's fire.

Blue eyes stared down at his hands, that were frozen and stiff, and he knew he wouldn't be able to do any hand seal like that; he wondered if Itachi and Fish–face would have trouble moving because of the cold, but quickly dismissed the stupid thought. They were surely above mundane problems such as freezing because of the cold…

'_Kuso kuso kuso kuso,'_ he cursed over and over, grimacing.

He stood up again, blinking to clear his vision, but this time he was unable to see, hear of sense anything. The cold was finally getting to him, his senses mixing together, lost in the storm and the whiteness.

'_No… I must focus,'_ he scolded himself as a wave of dizziness hit him.

He tried to pinpoint the position of the ANBU even knowing the man would not help him; he would at least give him a sense of depth, so he could realise where to go… and damn it, he was basically alone against the two Akatsuki members, and the only person around would not help him at all.

Shit.

Then, a figure stepped out from the twirling snow.

Looking up in a flash, Naruto faltered slightly when he met a pair of crimson swirly eyes.

Kakashi–sensei's words returned to him full force. _"Don't look at him in the eyes!"_ followed by the memory of what had happened to him and Sasuke… but it was too late.

Naruto observed in rapture and mock fascination as the Sharingan swirled and bled crimson, the charcoal commas moving in a circular pattern, almost calling him, lulling him into a weird state of calm…

His heart was racing in his chest, but the rest of the world was strangely dulled out, and there was someone calling his name somewhere, but it was so faint, far away, and he wasn't in the snowy forest anymore then, he was–

…–…–…–…

Tsunade arrived at the gates a split second after the usage ANBU had disappeared from her office, and was instantly overwhelmed by the heavy, penetrating smell of blood.

She ran close to the walls, heart clenched painfully in her chest, ignoring the wooziness that hit her at the putrid scent; she was able to control her phobia for blood, but that didn't mean she wasn't affected by it anymore.

Snow was falling more heavily now, but she was still able to notice where the body of the second ANBU was.

It stood clear against the white snow on the ground, blood drenching his candid outfit, mask discarded a few feet away from the unmoving body. Tsunade knew at first sight that the man was dead, but she nonetheless crouched at his side him to dutifully check his pulse, or at least to see if there was some remains of chakra that could help her understand what the cause of his death was.

The body was slashed pretty badly; it was a gruesome sight since the man was unrecognizable, his face almost scratched away, and she fought the bile down at the disgusting stench of blood.

One arm was missing, she thought faintly as she stood up, looking around to see where it had ended. _'Oh, there it is'_ she spotted it underneath a tree, almost completely covered by snow.

The cut had been neat, right on the main vein just above the elbow; the fingers were still holding tightly onto a kunai, rigid and unmoving. It was a gruesome sight. He had been attacked and killed shortly after having spotted the two unknown shinobi, probably after his companion had left to report the Hokage about them.

Tsunade swallowed twice, shaking away her nausea and closing her eyes, concentrating in order to feel any suspicious chakra that could still be lingering around. She just hoped Naruto was fine and safe at the hospital, because if they were really Akatsuki members, like the description suggested, they had to be kept away from the teen.

"Tsunade!"

There was a cloud of smoke and Jiraiya appeared at her side, glancing around with narrowed eyes and grimacing a bit at the sight of the lifeless body on the ground, the grimace growing when he noticed the lack of an arm on the corpse.

Taking in the surroundings, the legendary pervert frowned, knowing that the news he was about to deliver would only serve to anger Tsunade more.

For once, his smug expression was gone, replaced by concern and worry, and the way he assessed the situation, without smiles or fake happiness, was disturbing in its seriousness; he truly looked worth of the name of Sennin.

"Naruto's not at the hospital," he reported her once teammate.

Tsunade gasped loudly, shifting her whole attention to him. Jiraiya spoke before she could open her mouth.

"I talked with a nurse, she reported having eavesdropped on two patients talking and heard they were going to sneak outside to play –she thought it would be better to let them out to enjoy the snow," he grimaced again. "I wanted to have a look around for them, as Naruto might be there too. It looks like Akatsuki took on an independent attack".

Tsunade's shoulders relaxed slightly as she nodded at him curtly, "I'm going to hunt down the intruders. The rest of the ANBU will come shortly, and Kakashi and Gai have been warned".

Jiraiya nodded and disappeared again.

The storm around her increased in strength, and Tsunade's expression returned impenetrable; this was a real storm, and it would be working against her. At least, the storm would make things hard for Akatsuki too… she could use it to her advantage.

Tsunade looked around, noticing the snowing was more and more harsh. This was turning into a storm, which wasn't good for both them and the Akatsuki.

After what felt like ages, four chakra flared up at her side, and she turned around sharply to look at them; two were ANBU members, and the other two were Gai and Kakashi, both looking serious and focused.

"Tsunade–sama," Gai called her. "What's happening?"

Kakashi remained silent, his eye noticing the body on the ground before fixing on her again; he had been interrupted in his personal time with Iruka, something he hadn't appreciated, but the moment he saw the dead ANBU and the blood, Kakashi realised this was by no means a hoax.

At his side, Gai vocalised his shock with a loud gasp, and he stood straighter, waiting for instructions.

"Akatsuki was seen close to the gates," Tsunade stated, refusing to look at them and keeping her eyes on their surroundings.

Kakashi's single visible eye widened, but other than that, he did not show his surprise at the news; Gai stilled, his mind lapsing back to the last time the Akatsuki had been sighted –it had ended with Kakashi in the hospital for a few days after having received a full Tsukiyomi by Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan.

"Naruto?" Kakashi asked, tone urgent.

"Jiraiya is looking out for him," Tsunade answered, not looking at either of them. "Let's go".

While the ANBU waited for instructions, Gai, Kakashi and Tsunade closed their eyes, stretching their senses to catch any hint on the two Akatsuki members' whereabouts. A split second later a strong burst of chakra flared up not too far from their position; Tsunade, who had never met Itachi before, couldn't recognise it but was rather surprised at its strength, while Kakashi and Gai recognised it instantly.

"Itachi," the silver haired jounin hissed.

Tsunade sharply twisted her neck to stare at him. "This is the older Uchiha?" she was amazed, but then again, it was expected from a genius shinobi such as Itachi was.

They hurried towards the chakra signature, running swiftly through the snow, unfazed by the storm and the cold wind –it was slowing them down a bit, but they were all seasoned ninja and had already been caught in similar situations before…

The snow was not enough to stop them.

"Tsunade–sama, I feel another chakra signature together with that of the two Akatsuki," Gai looked at the Hokage, frown evident on his face –hell, anything involving his eyebrows would be evident.

"What?" Tsunade concentrated on the signatures. He was right, she could feel it too –a chakra flare weaker than the other two, but that was pulsating in a different way.

'_Please, not Naruto,'_ she pleaded inwardly, suddenly afraid. _'I don't want to lose someone I care for again… I won't let this happen!'_

What she saw when she got close enough, though, sent her heart in a frenzied pace, making Tsunade freeze on the spot.

She could barely see through the storm, but there were four figures there; one was wearing an Akatsuki cloak and held some sort of giant sword in his hands. The second shape, much to her surprise, was the ANBU that had alerted her about the intruders. _Usagi_ was standing there, his chakra masked enough that the incoming squad could only feel it at this close distance, not moving at all, just staring at the last two figures, barely visible.

The third was obviously Itachi –the resemblance with Sasuke striking enough that Tsunade would have been blind not to recognise him– and the other was…

"Naruto!" she cried, tone filled with anguish.

Naruto was in a bad shape; his lips had a blue tinge to them, and as she looked him over, she could see the signs of overexposure to cold in the tenseness of his shoulders and the tips of his fingers. She belatedly realised that maybe the cold affected him more due to Kyuubi, and being a Medic–nin, Tsunade could easily see that any more time spent in the cold would worsen his situation.

Unfortunately that wasn't the worst –Naruto was looking straight into Itachi's eyes, and the incoming group of Leaf–nin could only stare ahead with dread filling them, recognising the Mangekyou Sharingan spinning wildly.

"No! Naruto!" she cried out again, drawing the attention of the other Akatsuki shinobi and that of the ANBU on her.

'_Why would Itachi use the Tsuku__yomi on Naruto?'_ Kakashi wondered, staring in shock and worry at the scene in front of him. he had been on the receiving end of that attack, and Sasuke, too, and neither of them had been able to stand the technique (especially not the Uchiha, who had not been trained to resist to torture), and now… Itachi was using it on _Naruto_?

Clearly, Itachi was making sure Naruto wouldn't be in any shape to run away from him again.

Seconds ticked by, as if the world had turned sluggish, then Itachi blinked and looked away, the Mangekyou shifting back into the normal Sharingan.

The moment he did so, the blond teen slumped limply on the snow, falling on his knees with an empty gaze, blue eyes glazed off, body trembling.

"Naruto, no!" Tsunade finally lunged forwards, wanting nothing more than to reach her little adopted brother and protect him from the Akatsuki, but the second member of that organization, the one Kakashi had called Kisame, moved in-between them, sword pointed at her.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, remembering what Kakashi had explained to her about the chakra–absorbing properties of that weapon.

"I'd suggest you let Itachi–san have his way with the Kyuubi vessel, Hokage–sama," Kisame grunted, lips stretching to show a threatening smirk, pointy teeth glinting maliciously.

Then, he attacked, sword swinging towards the woman.

Tsunade reacted instantly, slamming her fist on the sword; both Tsunade and Kisame were pushed backwards by the resulting collision, and the smirk on the man's face faltered as he analyzed her physical strength; she was clearly enhancing her strength with chakra, but not outwardly, so he wouldn't be able to suck it out from her without allowing her contact with the sword, and with that strength… she would probably manage to crack it before Samehada could absorb her chakra.

Kakashi and Gai quickly moved to her side. "Go to Naruto, Hokage–sama," Gai offered, body tense in preparation for the fight. "We will be enough for that prick!"

Tsunade nodded as Kisame's eye twitched in annoyance –he _wasn't_ a prick!

As the shark–looking man and the two Jounin stared impassibly at each other, waiting for the opponent to make the first move, Tsunade moved towards Itachi and the trembling Naruto, right in time for the Uchiha man to shift his attention to her, eyes emotionless and cold.

Recalling what Kakashi had stated, and what Jiraiya had seen from their encounters with the Uchiha, Itachi could only use Tsukiyomi once, because it caused a great effort on the body and a loss of a good amount of chakra.

Tsunade was a medic–nin, and knew enough of Genjutsu to be able to take on any illusion this man would throw at her –because of that, and the reassurance that the Mangekyou wouldn't make another apparition now, she was able to look at him straight in the eyes, showing no fear.

Her worry was concentrated on Naruto, who had yet to move, his empty gaze scaring her the more she thought about it; she had to get to him, and _fast_.

"It's a pleasure meeting you, Tsunade–sama," Itachi murmured, voice chilling cold and barely reaching her in the storm.

The Hokage straightened her back, glaring at him. "I can't say the same, Uchiha Itachi".

With that, Tsunade readied her fist and lunged towards him.

…–…–…–…

None of the teens present could say a word as they looked at Naruto running away, their eyes moving from him to the ANBU, who was still there, also looking at the blond disappearing in the distance.

They were taken aback by the revelation, and it was truly the last thing they had expected to hear.

The ANBU had said that Naruto was the vessel of the demon that had attacked Konoha thirteen years before. The same demon that Yondaime had given his life to supposedly banish from the world forever?

But if it was sealed within Naruto, then what they knew had always been a lie…?

The ANBU grunted and shook his head, staring at them. "Do you see what I mean? He deceived all of you," his voice was almost smug. "Now you know the truth –he is nothing but a monster".

Since they were far too shocked by what they had been told, none of them knew what to say against the ANBU.

The only one who stepped forwards to face the man was, surprisingly enough, the one nobody would have expected to be able to do something like that –Hinata.

"Y–you're wrong, Naruto–kun isn't a monster!" she blushed slightly, but her tone soft but firm, and as she spoke, she didn't stutter even once. Even Neji was taken aback by her fierceness, but there again, Hinata had always cared about Naruto. "Even if… even if what you said is the truth, it still does not mean Naruto–kun is a monster! He is strong and nice and has a big heart. He's saved all of us more than once, and Sasuke betrayed Konoha, while Naruto has always fought loyally for the village… if anything, the real monster it's you! Naruto–kun is the nicest person I've ever known!"

Although taken aback by her harsh words, the ANBU didn't seem touched by what she had said, and laughed harshly at her. "You will realise soon enough that you are wrong, Hyuuga–san".

And with that, the ANBU disappeared in a poof of smoke.

Hinata stood still, panting hard for her outburst, cheeks flushed and heart racing wildly in her chest, embarrassed but at the same time proud of herself for standing up to that man.

She had meant every word. She admired Naruto, and not only because of the major crush she had on him… he was strong and caring, and never backed down from a challenge, no matter how strong the opponent or how dire the situation.

He had managed to defeat the Sand–nin Gaara, protecting Konoha from the demon, then had helped Neji, allowing him to give up on the resentment her cousin felt towards her and the whole Hyuuga clan. He had even managed to befriend the Uchiha, even though Sasuke had still betrayed the village in the end…

Even if Naruto hosted a demon inside him, that didn't mean he was a monster.

If anything… if anything that made him even stronger. If he could still smile and act like nothing was wrong, if he could still fight and stand back up, Naruto was stronger than any other shinobi Hinata had ever met before.

He could understand Neji because they both had a seal on them. He could understand the Sand shinobi because they were both vessels for demons. Sacrifices…

Suddenly aware of the silence that had dawned upon the group, she turned around in a flash, white eyes glinting dangerously as she stared at her friends, shifting her attention from one to the other to gauge their reactions to the news.

Kiba was biting his lip so hard it was bleeding, and his eyes were filled with anger, but Hinata wasn't sure what to make of it. Whether he was angry at the ANBU, at Naruto, or at himself, she couldn't know.

Next to him, Chouji had stopped eating, the potatoes scattered on the snow, eyes slightly wider than usual, and face pale. He wasn't looking at anything in particular, eyes unfocused on the ground.

Shino… Shino looked the same as usual, eyes hidden behind his glasses, and Hinata couldn't see enough of his face to understand what the teen was thinking, and yet… his fists were clenched tightly at his sides, displaying some sort of strong emotion he could not completely hide.

Neji was standing there, tense and stiff, lips fixed in a thin line, eyes wide as he stared at the ground as if it held all of life's answers. He wasn't moving, but the way he was fighting to control himself was testament enough of the emotions battling inside him.

Lee was trembling, staring down at his clenched fists with determination in his black eyes, but even though Hinata could read many emotions flashing in them, she couldn't understand what he was thinking.

Last was Shikamaru. He was staring at her with the usual bland, almost bored expression, but his eyes were sharper and the corner of his mouth was twitching as he pushed his hands in the pockets of his coat.

He was the first one to speak, and as if right on cue, the moment he opened his mouth the snow started falling harder on them.

"Let's go back to the hospital," he muttered. "There is no point in staying here anymore".

Everybody looked at him in shock, feeling the commanding underline in his voice. Hinata felt her muscles relax slightly at his tone, but as she was about to say something, Kiba beat her to it.

"After everything we heard… after everything that happened to Naruto… _that_'s the only thing you can say?" he growled with bared teeth. "How can you be so _calm_ about it?"

He stomped forwards and grabbed Shikamaru by the neck of his coat, but the taller teen simply let himself be shaken around, not even lifting one eyebrow.

"This is so troublesome," he muttered, shaking his head. "Is us staying here going to help Naruto in any way? Are you angry at him, Kiba, or are you angry at the ANBU? Or worse… are you angry at yourself now?"

Kiba let him go, backing away as if scalded.

"Wha…?" he stuttered, looking away. "O–of course I'm angry at Naruto… that bastard, hiding something like that from us… we're friends, are we? We wouldn't abandon him because of that. And…" he growled, ruffling his hair in distress. "I'm angry at the fucking ANBU for how he treated Naruto, and for his words… he had no right to say that".

And most of all, Kiba was angry with himself. He had let his delicate teammate handle yelling at the ANBU while he remained in the back, acting like a coward.

Shikamaru simply smirked, while Chouji didn't say anything, simply bowing to retrieve his chips from the ground, mourning for the ones that had fallen out of the bag.

"You knew already, am I right Shikamaru?"

The lazy teen and the rest of the group turned towards Neji; the teen was still staring at the ground, but his fists were trembling slightly, and he was clearly barely restraining himself. Shikamaru did not reply anything to disprove Neji's words.

"You… you knew…?" Hinata asked tentatively, her hesitant speech pattern coming back full force. "Why… why didn't you tell… us, then?"

Shikamaru shrugged, looking at them straight in the eyes, clearly showing no regrets.

"What was the point? This was nothing I had to be involved with. Naruto is my friend, and knowing his secret did not change it, just like knowing the Hyuuga family treats Neji like a slave doesn't make me treat him any different. If Naruto didn't want to tell us, that was his choice".

When he finished talking he grimaced, not liking having to talk so much in one sitting. He was much better at thinking than at explaining, and that was too much effort.

Taking a deep breath, he concluded his speech. "We all have our secrets. It's not like we have to know everything about someone to be friends with them… he was afraid we would reject him for this…" he paused. "Did this make any of you want to stop being his friends? Does this change anything, in the end? He suffered from someone else's actions and hid his pain, and still was able to smile".

'_How. Damn. Troublesome__…'_ he groaned inwardly.

"No! Of course… no…" Hinata mumbled, though she had already expressed her feelings before, with the ANBU. "Naruto–kun will still be the same nice person… to me".

"I still think he's a troublesome bastard, just like before," Kiba growled, shaking his head. "At least now I know what is the weird scent I smell on him at times… fox, damn it, that's why I always felt like I wanted to bite him…" that last part was added in undertone so none of the others heard him.

Shino said nothing, but he slowly uncurled his clenched fists. Unknown to the others, a trail of bugs flew away from him, disappearing from view, not at all disturbed by the rash snowing.

Neji was the most troubled by what had happened. Now he knew why Naruto had looked so touched by what he'd said at the Chuunin exams. Because he _could_ understand. His hadn't been just empty words… Naruto could truly understand what Neji felt.

And still, instead of growing resentment like Neji had, Naruto had simply smiled against all odds, moving to trounce every obstacle in front of him.

'_The next time I see Naruto… I will have to thank him properly for his words, for what he did… for his help,'_ he thought, a new purpose set in mind.

Chouji started eating again, unfazed. It didn't really matter to him –Naruto was a good eating companion with whom he could make exciting 'who eats the most ramen' races. That was good enough for him.

The loudest reaction, as expected, came from Lee. He jutted his head up, crying out, tears streaming down his cheeks, "Naruto–kun!" he brought his fists up to his chest. "You are really the personification of the Flame of Youth! I admire you so much! To bear such a strong hatred while still showing your youthful smile… that is, indeed, the Burning fl–"

"Tell him that when you see _him_, you stupid," Kiba groaned.

Hinata smiled a little. "I think… we should do what Shikamaru said…" she murmured. "It's snowing hard… but I want to find Naruto–kun…"

Lee wiped his tears away and patted her softly on the shoulder. "Don't worry! Naruto–kun can take care of himself! We will wait for him in his room at the hospital to show how we respect his Flame of Youth! And to reassure him that we are still his friends, no matter what!"

She nodded, blushing for his direct speech.

She wished she could do that too… talking without hesitation.

'_Naruto__–kun, trust us, we really care for you…' _she thought warmly as she followed her friends.

…–…–…–…

_It was all black._

_Not simply dark, but pitch black._

_It was as if the entire word had been dyed __in ink. The colours were… wrong. Unfocused, switched._

_There were no sounds –no wind, no rustles, nothing; the silence was so complete it was almost haunting, unreal… as if he wasn't standing in the real world anymore, but somewhere else, somewhere false and __**wrong**__._

_There was no snow anywhere. There were no trees, just a long expanse of barren land… and he was alone… alone with Itachi._

_He blinked, trying to move. What had happened? One second he was half covered in the cold, white snow, and the next he was…_

_His arms couldn't move. He looked at his sides and found he was tied up on some kind of wooden cross, and his eyes snapped wide open –when did this happen?_

_This situation was all wrong. Wrong and–_

"_It seems like you still don't understand, Naruto–kun," Itachi commented__, attracting the teen's attention to him. "You are trapped in an illusion created by my Sharingan… Tsukiyomi"._

_Naruto glared at him, trying not to show __the fear mounting inside him. If this was an illusion, he couldn't get really hurt… What was the meaning of telling your opponent –more like prey?– that you had him caught in an illusion?_

"_Here, time has no meaning… I can repeat an action for hours, even days, and in the real word not even a second __would pass by… that's what I am going to do with you, Naruto–kun, since you thought it would be fun to run away –it wasn't polite of you"._

_What Naruto thought that moment could be __easily summarized with a_ 'that guy really is out of it –damn, I'm stuck with an insane killer!'

_He tried to remember if he knew how to break a Genjutsu, but he came up with nothing. That's when Itachi stepped __closer, his crimson eyes, the only thing that was __**not**__ black, staring into his own without blinking._

"_Three days, to feel __**hatred**__," Itachi stated._

_A split second later, __images started to flash in the blond teen's mind, painfully wrenching through him, as sharp as needles, each one stabbing him deeper and deeper. The pain was almost unbearable, not just physical, but mental as well, and it was growing stronger, harsher and more violent with each minute._

_The glares of the villagers_

_The look in every mother's eyes as she hushed her child away from him_

_The whispers_

_The hatred_

_The villagers insulting him for no apparent reason_

"_We hate you"_

"_Monster!"_

"_Stay away from us! Demon!"_

_A man trying to stab him_

_More glares, more whispers behind his back_

_And then, Mizuki–sensei_

"_You are the fox demon"_

"_You are the Nine Tailed__ Demon… that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed the village"_

"_We hate you"_

"_Monster"_

"_They all lied to you, all the time, over and over again"_

"_Nobody will ever accept you"_

"_No one will care"_

"_You are a demon"_

"_You are __**nothing**__"_

"_No! Stop!"__ he cried, shaking his head, trying to stop the memories, the scenes, but they mercilessly continued, hurting him, never stopping, never faltering._

_He tried to back away, but he couldn't __**move**_

_Couldn't breathe_

_Couldn't think_

"_Stop! Please, make it stop!"_

_Minutes, hours, days._

_The memories continued, more hatred, more pain cutting him deeply, and he cried, he kicked, he screamed, tears falling down from his eyes, until he could no longer cry, he could no longer scream because his voice was gone…_

_But the pain continued on._

_Until the word finally faltered and slowed down, and the moment Naruto thought he would not be able to take any of it anymore…_

_They were gone._

The black world.

The images.

The pain.

The voices.

All of sudden he was cold again. A different sort of pain caused by snow rushing against his body without warning, the abrupt return to a world where he could feel air and sounds again confusing his shattered brain.

His body hurt –everything hurt, from the tip of his fingers to his head to his lungs. He was trembling, unable to control his body, and it hurt so much he could barely keep himself standing.

He felt like he had spent months in that darkened world, drained out of all his energy, both mentally and physically…

But he was deaf to anything going on around him, too focused on the anguish.

"_Monster…"_

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** so, how was this chapter? Please review and tell me what you think!

As an ending note, this _**won't**_ turn into one of those super powerful, super smart, invincible Naruto. He will be slightly smarter thanks to him growing up and learning things, but he'll still be the same Naruto we all love. I hope you appreciate it. :)

_Kuso_ – means shit. It's a typical Japanese swear word.


	3. Dread…

**Edited:** 15/04/2011

**Note:** the story has a long way to go. Itachi will leave for a while, but he will make a return soon, so don't despair!

**StarsOfYaoi****:** third chapter for you! Please read and enjoy! And don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the ANBU… just scroll down, please. I hope you like a thicker plot…

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angsty, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 03****: Dread…**

Tsunade was standing there, her glare unforgiving and fixed on Itachi.

She had a hard time concealing the hatred she felt, the desire to just rush off to Naruto to make sure he was ok.

He didn't look fine at all, anybody could see that; the blond was still trembling, and his blue eyes were glazed over, showing clearly that whatever Itachi had showed him through the Tsukiyomi was still affecting him.

Tsunade didn't want to think about what was the true power of that attack, but the results were far too obvious –she had to get to the teen as soon as possible and get him to a hospital.

But the Hokage couldn't ignore the fact that Itachi was standing there, unmoving, and she needed to focus on him and not get distracted –that would only cause her to lose Naruto, and she wasn't about to allow the Uchiha to get him away.

Itachi was a dangerous opponent, one she could not underestimate, especially since he would not hesitate to ruthlessly kill her. So she did not move, keeping her ground against the Akatsuki.

It was still storming badly around them, turning the world into a blur of white, grey and nothingness, the chilling cold numbing them, but neither moved, simply gazing into each other's eyes, light brown against crimson, waiting for something to happen.

"It's a pleasure meeting you, Tsunade–sama," Itachi murmured, voice laced with coldness.

She narrowed her eyes. "I can't say the same, Uchiha Itachi".

With that, Tsunade readied her fist and lunged towards him, gathering an amount of offensive chakra around it –and she swung it at Itachi.

Unfortunately, the moment the punch landed on the spot, Itachi was not there anymore –the raven haired missing–nin was gone, and Tsunade's attack landed on the ground, creating a hole due to the strength she had used.

Crimson eyes flickered at the damage the punch had done, and Itachi nodded slightly, assessing the strength of his opponent; Tsunade was not one to mess around with, as the strength of the Legendary Sannin was well known to the Akatsuki.

Itachi knew better than to just rush at her, though.

Her strength, her experience… Itachi was a very strong, skilled shinobi, but so was Tsunade, and her knowledge would still prove to be a problem in such a situation.

Staring at the unmoving Uchiha again, Tsunade wondered if the boy was able to feel at all. To her eyes, Itachi was, despite his fame and skills, still a kid, but this was a kid who had murdered his whole clan in a single night, a kid whose eyes didn't show anger nor fear… not even interest.

A genius. What could she expect from a genius? One that was not lazy, nor easily controlled?

He would have no trouble in unleashing his full power on anyone who dared to stand against him…

Somewhere behind her, Kakashi and Gai were fighting against Kisame, doing their best to prevent their chakra from being absorbed by the sword.

On his own, Kisame was almost having fun, slashing his weapon around with a sadistic smirk, his shark-like features accentuated by his sharp teeth; he knew that his two opponents were strong and skilled and that their combined efforts could be the end of him, but he wasn't entirely bothered by it.

He as simply enjoying the adrenaline of the battle, and since he hadn't been able to fight to his heart's consent before, he had every right to have fun –after all, Itachi was enjoying himself against Tsunade, right? So he could do it too.

"My Eternal Rival! We shall defeat this one and go to Naruto–kun!" Gai called out to Kakashi, face expressing his seriousness. He knew that the situation was tense and a glance at the teen immobile on the snow showed he wasn't fairing well.

Kisame did his best not to grimace.

Yes, that spandex wearing man was strong –he could see it by the way he attacked, fluidly and without wasting a movement– but his appearance, those eyebrows… the outfit itself… didn't the man have any shame?

No one in their right minds would want to walk around dressed like _that_. Especially with such a weather.

Kisame grunted in displeasure as once again the green clad shinobi avoided him. that guy used more Taijutsu rather than chakra-based attacks, which meant he would be a hassle to defeat. Kisame was almost worried… _almost_.

A kick, a punch, twisting in the air and kicking again.

Kakashi and Gai changed places to hit Kisame with a combo. The two, used to sparring with each other, knew well how to work together, having memorised each other's battle behaviour, and their matching moves showed exactly that.

Dodge, block, counterattack, slipping through the snow before punching again…

Kisame retreated slightly to evade Kakashi's fist, throwing Samehada on the side to stop Gai's kick to his face, then swayed the weapon around, causing both men to hastily jump out of his reach.

A smirk showed the two Konoha–nin just how much Kisame was having fun with them.

The storm wasn't going to end anytime soon, the snowflakes twirling and rushing around, blurring the world around them as they clashed again and again, not caring about the cold. Both sides wanted to gain the upper end and get Naruto, who was still unmoving on one side, lost somewhere in the depths of his mind.

For a single second, as the winds rushing by calmed down somehow, the five shinobi stilled and glanced warily at their opponents, waiting for the next attack; it was then that they became aware of the forgotten figure in the corner –the _Usagi_ ANBU, that nobody remembered being there in the first place.

Kakashi switched his attention to him, confused as to why the man had yet to move to help them against Akatsuki; maybe, despite his standing as ANBU, he was scared by his teammate's death and by Itachi's powers…?

"The Akatsuki is here to take Naruto," he urged the man, his now uncovered Sharingan blazing. "Use this opportunity to bring him to safety inside the village –bring him to Jiraiya–sama!"

The _Usagi_ had been staring at them in shock without moving, mostly because he had seen the Kyuubi demon being attacked and somehow forced into submission by the intruders and had found the sight appeasing, but at Kakashi's words, he snapped out of his musings.

So he'd been right –the two men wearing matching cloaks were there for the demon child.

So it was because of the little demon that his partner had been brutally killed… it was because of the rotten monster that Tsunade–sama had been forced to fight against such a powerful opponent…

She was protecting the demon.

The ANBU was sure that the new Hokage wouldn't really be against getting rid of the demon, because the woman was strong and intelligent and surely she couldn't be smitten with him. unfortunately Kakashi, the man who had been such a strong asset to Konoha, was clearly fooled by the demon, just as the teens back in the village had been.

If he wasn't there, Tsunade would surely let the intruders take the demon away.

The two men from Akatsuki were strong, and they wouldn't leave without the demon, but with the situation as it was, Tsunade, Kakashi and Gai would not allow them to…

Unless…

Hidden behind his mask, the ANBU's face twisted in an insanely evil smirk.

If the demon were to be killed…

He moved.

Kisame, alerted by his sudden leap, shifted to intercept him, but Gai and Kakashi were quicker, and blocked him before he could do more than take a couple of steps in the ANBU's direction, forcing the shark–looking man to defend himself from their attacks instead.

Kakashi was glad the ANBU had reacted to his words –now Naruto would be safe…

Tsunade watched the flash that was the ANBU pass by her side, and was almost sure Naruto would be safely taken away to the village, when…

Itachi moved.

The Godaime Hokage couldn't even notice his movements, as the raven haired man moved as fast as a lightening, stepping in-between the ANBU and the still unmoving Naruto in the blink of an eye; light brown eyes widened in shock as the Hokage watched things unfold in front of her eyes –the ANBU extracted a kunai from his pocket and lunged forwards, ready to bury it in Naruto's throat…

Itachi intervened to stop him; the Sharingan master blocked the assault with one single, fluid move, swiftly grabbing the wrist of the ANBU and twisting his arm around, causing the man to gasp soundlessly and fall on the ground.

The man's elbow snapped loudly, breaking under the Uchiha's hold.

Gritting his teeth, the ANBU tried to ignore the pain; he had been trained to stand more than just that, of course, but nonetheless fell to his knees as the pressure around his arm doubled, then he felt his opponent press one hand against his back –ready to snap it any moment.

"Why?" Tsunade yelled at him, for once forgetting that she was supposed to fight Itachi as he'd just saved Naruto's life; the purpose was clear, Kyuubi was still inside him and the vessel was to be left alive, but she could care less at the moment. "Kakashi told you to save Naruto!"

The ANBU's reply came in form of a furious hiss.

"That demon deserves _death_… he brought those filthy outsiders here and almost caused you, Hokage–sama, to be hurt… if he's disposed of, no one will be sad!"

Tsunade's eyes widened only to narrow a split second afterwards, realising that the ANBU was one of those people who hated Naruto because of the demon.

Why couldn't they get it? Naruto wasn't the demon…

Why couldn't _anyone_ understand?

It didn't matter anymore, though, because Itachi emotionlessly stared down at the man he was holding in a deathly grip, and his crimson eyes narrowed in speculation. "Naruto–kun belongs to us. I won't let anyone kill him before the Kyuubi is taken out".

A loud _crack_ echoed in the forest, dulled out by the still falling snow; the now dead body of the ANBU fell gracelessly on the ground, unmoving.

Tsunade was snapped out from her shock by that sight; she could not dwell on the death of that ANBU, because Itachi was far too close to Naruto at the moment and she had to fight with him again to ensure the teen's safety.

Itachi glanced down at Naruto's body with an unreadable expression, before lifting one hand towards him –then he stopped, retreating as Tsunade once again came for him. the Uchiha jumped away and landed gracefully a few feet away, watching as the Hokage placed herself between him and Naruto.

For a moment, he seemed to consider the situation. He had used Tsukiyomi once already, and it was clear the fight would last more than he had predicted…

Kisame stared at Itachi, and there was some kind of silent agreement passing from one to the other as they both took a step backwards. "Until next time," Kisame smirked to Kakashi and Gai, feeling smug despite the situation.

Then the two disappeared in a swirl of snow.

Tsunade forced her muscles to relax as the chakra of the two disappeared completely from her senses. They were really gone… for now, at least.

Uchiha Itachi was surely an interesting person…

Then she remembered. "Naruto!" she cried, finally running to the blond that was still in the same position of when she'd arrived.

Blue eyes were half closed and unfocused, as if Naruto wasn't really there, lost somewhere in the depths of his mind; snow had covered him halfway through the fight, and Tsunade could clearly see the blue tinge his lips and nails had acquired.

He was freezing and trembling and in need of her care. She hadn't used that much chakra since the fight hadn't been a proper one, but merely an observing of the opponent's moves, so she could give Naruto all her attention and skills.

Kakashi and Gai, a little more tired but not to the point of not moving, were at her side a split second later, watching with worry the trembling frame of Naruto in Tsunade's arms. His glassy eyes were what scared both men the most.

"I need to take him to the hospital," she told them, staring at the two jounin seriously. "Can you two dispose of… the corpses?" she pointed her head towards the two dead ANBU, that were now being covered by the snow.

They nodded and she swiftly formed some seals, Naruto carefully held against her chest, the freezing and trembling frame a comfort to the woman that for a moment had feared to lose him, like she had lost her lover and her little brother already.

As she disappeared, leaving behind two distressed men to cleanse up, the storm finally retreated a little, slowly starting to abate as Tsunade brought Naruto back to the village.

It felt almost as if the Akatsuki had brought the storm with them, in the end vanishing with it.

Kakashi sighed, covering his Sharingan and staring at the direction where he knew Konoha was. He was terribly worried for Naruto, having suffered under the attack of Itachi, and he didn't want to know what the teen could have felt during Tsukiyomi.

He really didn't want to lose another person he was learning to care for –not after Obito, not after Yondaime, then even his other student, Sasuke…

'_Be safe, Naruto'._

…–…–…–…

Shizune walked down the corridor with a frown on her face, wondering why the hell Jiraiya had seemed so worried all of sudden.

It wasn't like he had never deserted hospitals when he'd been younger, if only to go spy at some onsen or whatever; Tsunade liked to tell her stories about her childhood, and they were filled with Jiraiya's perverse desire to see naked women all the time.

Jiraiya hadn't had time to tell her exactly why he was so stressed out for Naruto's disappearance, when the teen was just gone with his friends to play in the snow… she really couldn't understand –maybe he was just too much overprotective?

Yes, probably his paternal feelings for Naruto were to blame. After all, it was far too easy to come to like Naruto, if one allowed him close, Shizune knew that well. He was almost a little brother to her, too…

Still, the blond teen had needed some time to relax, away from his problems, because after what had happened with the Uchiha boy (Sasuke was his name), Naruto had been shutting himself off from people. He had looked sad.

Naruto needed his friends, he needed to realise that brooding wouldn't help him –he just had to look forwards and stop mourning.

Sasuke would _not_ come back, not until he got what he wanted, and that was the power to kill his brother. Maybe by that time, he would be completely changed, tainted by Orochimaru's darkness. He would not be the same Sasuke Naruto had known till then.

Things change. People change, Shizune knew that too well.

At times, it wasn't a bad change –Tsunade had changed a lot since meeting Naruto, after all. But certain changes were not for the best, and Shizune was afraid that in regards to the youngest Uchiha boy, this would be the case.

Shizune sighed. Maybe she should just check Naruto's room one last time to see if the teen was back already, at least so she could calm down Jiraiya's worry.

Really, the man acted too much like the teen's father, or grandfather, given the age, and it was rather amusing for a man who had always been so against having a family.

Considering Naruto's situation before, it was a vast improvement, and she inwardly cheered at the thought that someone so determined to never settle down was finally caring so much for a child like Naruto, who needed it so much.

Definitely heart warming.

Gently pushing the door open, fully expecting an empty room, Shizune blinked in surprise at the sight that greeted her instead.

There were teens scattered everywhere in the room, all sleeping or about to fall asleep; a few of them were on the hospital beds –two in each room as standard procedure– while others were on the chairs. She recognised some of them as Naruto's friends, so she presumed they all were.

Still, and that caused her to frown, Naruto wasn't amongst them.

One of the boys looked up at her as he heard her open the door, and his eyes studied her for a moment, dark and sharp. Then, the teen slowly stood up, moving as if each step took too much out of him.

He made his way towards her, keeping silent as so not to wake anybody else.

"We will wait for Naruto here," he stated, stifling a yawn that to Shizune looked more like a bored yawn than a tired one. His eyes were serious, and he looked like he would not accept a refusal from her.

She found herself nodding even thought she could just throw a fit and send them all out in a moment; it really wasn't the time to be picky, and they did need sleep. So she simply left, shaking her head slightly as she started walking down the corridor.

The look in the boy's eyes…

Something was up, and Naruto was not there.

Where could the blond ninja be then?

It was exactly then that Tsunade appeared right in front of Shizune, clutching at her chest the trembling frame of Naruto.

"What happened?" Shizune gasped, noticing the state the teen was in, and following Tsunade as the woman moved swiftly towards the closest room, lowering Naruto down on the bed and covering him up with blankets. "Shizune, bring more blankets –I need your help now, so work with me".

With a nod, Shizune got closer, ready to help.

Brushing one hand on his cheek, the black haired woman noticed just how cold the boy was, and wondered with a tinge of worry where he could have been. He was freezing. Had it started storming so badly and he hadn't even noticed…?

Then, Tsunade tilted Naruto's head her way, and Shizune met with Naruto's eyes. Gasping in shock, she reeled back and away from him.

Eyes that once had twinkled with warmth and brightness were now dull and glazed over… as if Naruto wasn't really _there_. That was a rather familiar sight but Shizune couldn't put a finger on where she'd seen such eyes before.

"Akatsuki was there," Tsunade murmured as she started her healing techniques on the still trembling body. "Itachi Uchiha used his Tsukiyomi on Naruto".

Shizune gasped, finally placing where she'd seen that look before; these were the same eyes the younger Uchiha had when Tsunade had first arrived in Konoha.

Green chakra flickered around Naruto, slowly calming him down that the trembling stopped, his breath slowing down; blue lips and nails slowly returned to their usual colour, and as Tsunade leaned forwards to listen to his heartbeat, she could feel it returning to its normal pace as well.

"What…" the younger of the two kunoichi stopped herself before she could voice her question; Shizune had wanted to ask 'what kind of vision could have caused such a reaction?' but she knew it was better not to ask.

Finally, empty blue eyes fluttered close, and Tsunade let out a hiss of relief as Naruto's body relaxed, falling into a deep, healing sleep.

"He was almost kidnapped… hadn't I been there with Kakashi and Gai, the Akatsuki would have taken him, Shizune," Tsunade groaned, sitting down next to the sleeping blond and watching his now peaceful expression with haunted eyes. "I was about to lose him…"

"But he's there, you _didn't_ lose him," the younger woman cooed gently, trying to reassure her mentor despite her own shock. "Tsunade–san, Naruto is still _here_".

With a startle, she realised that Naruto's friends were still waiting in the teen's old room. "Tsunade–sama, Naruto's friends are here… shouldn't we let them know he's safe now?"

Tsunade grabbed Naruto's unresponsive hand in hers and nodded to the black haired woman absently, "tell them to not come here until morning, though… he needs to rest".

As her apprentice left the room in a hurry, Tsunade did not look away from the sleeping boy in front of her, gritting her teeth so not to let out her rage.

If only she'd been a little faster, her adopted little brother would have been safe, and now… _'I am sorry, Naruto,'_ she thought, watching him sleep with tenderness.

…–…–…–…

When Shizune opened the door of Naruto's room once again, all the boys were apparently asleep, the only girl curled on the bed closer to the window; she was about to leave and wait till the morning to tell them about Naruto when one of them shifted and slowly stood up, carefully avoiding any noise so not to wake his friends, and walked towards her, grimacing.

"What?" he growled –but in a low voice. He didn't really want to wake the others.

Shizune looked at him; it was the same one from before, the one that had looked like he had a natural inclination as a leader –though with his bored expression, one could never be sure about it. She motioned for the door and he followed her outside, waiting with a raised eyebrow to hear whatever she had to say.

Shizune cleared her throat. "You were waiting for Naruto, but he won't come back to his room for now… there was a problem," she really didn't know how to explain it to the teen, especially if he was looking at her with that expression.

It was a calm, assessing gaze that would have suited better an older man, not a teen barely thirteen.

The boy's eyebrows shifted upwards at her words but he replied nothing, just waiting for her to continue. There was more than this, he knew it, and he wanted to know everything.

Shizune hadn't really intended to explain what had happened to anyone, especially not to some teen who wouldn't surely understand (it directly included talking about the fox and about the organization that wanted to cage the demon), but seeing the determined stare of the boy, she decided that maybe he ought to talk with someone who would know just how much to tell.

She hoped Tsunade would not get angry with her. "Maybe it would be better if you could follow me… Tsunade–sama will be able to explain more about the current situation as I was not there to witness the attack".

"Attack?" something flickered in the dark eyes and Shizune could clearly see the worry.

Shikamaru grimaced. He had found it suspicious to see an ANBU member patrolling _inside_ the village and not outside, but now everything was falling into its place; someone had attacked the village, and by the way that woman spoke, Naruto had somehow happened to be in the middle of the attack and had gotten hurt.

Or worse… maybe he had been the intended target.

"Is he seriously hurt?" he asked her.

Shizune slowly shook her head, "I can't answer to that, I am sorry… you should speak with the Godaime if you want to know more".

Her answer worried Shikamaru even more. If Naruto had escaped safely, she would have reassured him, and if he had just been caught in whatever battle had taken place, she surely would have known the extent of his wounds.

That she didn't want to speak about it meant a whole set of troublesome problems he wanted to know about.

So, Shikamaru simply nodded and followed her through the corridor, sleepiness gone; the room he entered a few minutes later had the Godaime Hokage sitting on a chair, her back turned to the door, and on the bed, sleeping peacefully with no visible injury, was Naruto.

The absence of visible wounds made Shikamaru even more apprehensive. What was going on?

On the other side of the room was standing a white haired man Shikamaru had met only once; he recognised him for what Naruto called him, Ero–sennin, and the aura around the man was quite grave. Both elders moved their attention to him the moment he stepped into the room, Tsunade moving to stand up.

Shikamaru ignored her for a moment, stepping at Naruto's side to stare at his motionless body.

"What happened?" he asked, recognizing the signs of the healing induced sleep and knowing the blond would not wake up until morning.

Tsunade stared at him, almost tense. "There was… an unexpected attack and Naruto found himself in the middle of it," she replied.

Shikamaru was _not_ stupid. Even though the explanation was identical to his speculations, the way she had spoken clearly pointed it out as a lie. At least, part of it was surely a lie.

He scoffed.

"Was he with you?" Tsunade asked, now staring intently at the boy in front of her. She had recognized him as the Nara heir, the one speculated to be a lazy genius. "What happened? Why did he left?"

"Information for information," Shikamaru lazily replied, sitting down on the other side of Naruto's bed readying himself for some discussion.

Now that would prove to be difficult. He wanted to know what had happened after Naruto had left them, and the Hokage wanted to know how Naruto had gotten himself into that situation… he was the only one awake that knew that, so he would take the best out of this situation.

Tsunade glared at him, eyes narrowed. "I have nothing to tell you," she replied haughtily.

"That is a lie," he replied.

"What do you want?" Jiraiya intervened, trying to assess just how much the teen knew and would be willing to tell.

"Why were we not informed that Naruto was the container of Kyuubi?" if the situation hadn't been as serious as it clearly was, Shikamaru would have been rather amused at seeing the shocked stares of the three adults in the room. As it was, he simply filed the reaction for later.

"Who… when…" Tsunade closed her mouth and waited.

"So it _is_ true," Shikamaru sighed. What the ANBU had said was true, Naruto _really_ was the vessel of the demon that had almost destroyed Konoha. His suspicions had proven to be true after all.

Oh, of course he had believed the man. Naruto's reaction had been proof enough as it was. Besides, he'd had suspicions for a long while before, but he had needed confirmation from a certified source, and that source had been, amusingly enough, the Hokage herself.

By the looks he was receiving, it was obvious the three were waiting for him to explain himself, so he let out an exasperated sigh and closed his eyes. _'How damn troublesome…'_ he thought.

"We decided it would do him well to unwind a bit. Play around with us. Relax. We knew it would put us in trouble, but we didn't really care," he stated, tension somewhat abating as he spoke. "Then we had a run in with an ANBU patrolling the streets. He looked rather tense after Naruto bumped into him, and after verbally accusing Naruto, he tried to suffocate him".

A gasp was heard from the two kunoichi in the room.

"We intervened to try and stop the attack, but the ANBU was under the illusion that Naruto had been 'fooling us into believing him', and so he told us that Naruto was the vessel of the Fox Demon Kyuubi".

Another loud gasp; Shikamaru smirked slightly at that, amused at their stares of complete shock.

"Naruto… he didn't know how to confront us on the matter, and it was clear the ANBU's declaration had scared him. He left and we decided to wait for him here, to talk" he concluded, shrugging slightly.

Tsunade slowly took a deep breath and tried to refrain from punching her fist through the wall. So that was why Naruto had been outside of the protections Konoha offered.

Then, a thought occurred to her, and she fixed her angry gaze on the teen again. "What was the man's mask?"

"_Usagi_" Shikamaru replied.

Oh, of course.

The same ANBU.

At least he had been dealt with. It was barely a consolation, though.

"What were you going to say to Naruto?" Jiraiya walked towards Shikamaru and towered imposingly on him. If the teen wanted to–

"I think I should be offended if you are implying we'd ever reject Naruto," he glared back at the older shinobi, ignoring the fact that the man was stronger than him and of a higher rank. "Although considering how many people in the village are against him, your mistrust is quite understandable".

Jiraiya sighed in exasperation; he was not one for big speeches at all.

"What. Were. You. Going to say. To. Naruto," he repeated, massaging his eyes. He could feel a headache coming up. It wasn't enough that his pupil (soon to be apprentice) had almost been abducted by one evil organization, now a smartass was giving him big speeches. Hurray.

He _hated_ his life.

"There is nothing to say. Naruto is still Naruto, our friend," Shikamaru replied proudly. "The fact that he has a demon inside doesn't change a thing for us. If anything, we respect him more for the things he has to go through every day because of Kyuubi".

Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged a look and smiled softly, relieved by Shikamaru's words; at least the new generation knew better than that, they looked deeper than the surface. Naruto was a wonderful person, but his friends were equally so.

Finally, Naruto had found loyal friends that accepted him for who and what he was, and did not turn their back to him if he needed help.

That sort of reassurance was of extreme value.

"I have a question of my own, now that I answered yours," Shikamaru intertwined his fingers together and placed his chin on his hands, staring at the three adults in the room seriously. "What _really_ happened? Naruto didn't just find himself in the middle of an attack. Were the attackers after Kyuubi's power?"

Really, they had to expect this from the so called genius. But nonetheless, they were surprised to hear that; It took a few seconds before any of them could say something, and it was Jiraiya that spoke for both then.

"Yes. There's no point in keeping a secret now that they know, Tsunade, don't make that face," the white haired man shook his head with a small smirk as the Hokage glared at him. "The intruders belong to an organization called Akatsuki. They want to extract the power of the Kyuubi from Naruto, and that is why they were here".

Shikamaru nodded, humming softly as he filed the information away in his mind.

"But they failed to capture him," he stated looking at the sleeping blond. "At least he's safe, and I won't ask anything else… for now".

He slowly stood up and stretched, scratching the back of his head before walking away.

Tsunade and Jiraiya stared at him in disbelief as he waved his hand, closing the door behind his back.

"That was really… something indeed," Shizune shook her head.

"He's strange," Jiraiya pointed to the door where the Nara had disappeared through.

"Not as strange as you are," Tsunade retorted back.

Silence filled the room and Shizune smiled and left, deciding to go rest a little bit and knowing it would be useless to ask the two to do the same. The two Sannin returned to sit at Naruto's bed, glancing down at the sleeping blond with a warmth neither of them had showed for someone else in years.

"Will he be ok?"

Jiraiya did not look up at Tsunade, knowing she wasn't looking at him either.

"I hope he will…no, I am _sure_ he will," was the quiet answer.

–**Start Dream–**

'_Where am I?'_

Darkness enveloped him like a blanket, shifting and moving around him like fog, thick and empty but hiding the world away.

For a single second, he was glad that this darkness wasn't the same as the one inside Itachi's Genjutsu, but that relief quickly vanished as he realised that this darkness was, albeit different, just as bad.

He was cold, colder than he had ever been before. Was he still inside the snowstorm? He couldn't even see his own body, much less the world around, and this uncertainty filled his heart of fear.

What was this heavy darkness? Why couldn't he see anything around him?

Naruto tried to look around, if only to find out where he was, but he was still unable to see anything. There was only darkness.

He opened his mouth to scream, but his voice refused to come out, his throat constricting as he tried again and again. He choked on his breath, growing even more scared.

What was happening?

Tentatively stepping forwards, feeling the concrete floor under his feet, Naruto continued walking and finally, as he shifted blindly forwards, the black mist started to quiver and disappear, retreating behind him.

Finally, he could see where he was, and the fear subsided a bit.

He was in the middle of his village, Konoha, familiar surroundings calming him down. It was around midnight, and looking up, the sky was filled with shining stars. It was a beautiful sight, one that usually filled him with calm, but without reason, the distress and strange heaviness in his chest returned to him as he looked around.

There was a full moon above him, and it was of an unusual colour… red as blood. A bad omen? He remembered someone once saying that the worst things happened during a bloody full moon…

Not wanting to think about that, Naruto started walking again, slowly and hesitantly, afraid that the mist would come back and steal Konoha away from him, but soon realised that the mist had disappeared. The world remained steady around him.

The streets were empty as he walked around.

Even though he was away from that dark fog, he could still hear no sound, except that of his own footsteps and heart racing in his chest. Something was wrong. Where was everybody? Why wasn't anyone coming out?

Even the shinobi that should be patrolling were not there…

And…

That smell…

What was that smell? It was sending shivers down his frame. Inside him, something was screaming, trying to get his attention, and Naruto shivered once again –he didn't like it. What was happening?

Coppery and sickly sweet at the same time, the smell of… blood…

He hurried his pace, footsteps echoing in the streets as he ran, wild rhythm in synch with his heart, and after what felt like hours, Naruto reached the main square of Konoha, following the smell.

There they were, the villagers, gathered together in the middle of the square, forming a circle.

No one was speaking; they were all just standing there, mostly unknown faces, like an unreal play where all the actors were still like statues. Unmoving. Emotionless.

A sense of dread pooled in the pitch of his stomach as Naruto felt a whiff of that smell of blood coming from the centre of the circle; something had happened… but what?

He stepped forwards. As if the play suddenly started, all the villagers turned to him.

"Look it's _him,_" a voice whispered.

Filled with hatred.

"The monster," someone else added.

Whispers sneaked through the crowd, loud enough for him to hear all of them as he walked forwards.

"He did this".

"He can't be controlled anymore".

"What could you expect from someone like _him?_"

Naruto looked around at the faces of the people around him. The eyes were darkened with disgust and hatred, stronger than they had usually been… and fear. Faces he could not recognize, and faces he could.

So much _fear_.

"Monster!" a voice addressed him from his right, the whispers turning into yells as he tried to advance through the crowd, the villagers moving away from him as if he were an incurable disease.

Naruto was frantic now, what could have happened, why were they blaming him? He did nothing wrong! He was not a monster!

They were wron–

The scent of blood was coming much stronger now, heavy and disgusting, and Naruto fought the urge to step back. Intoxicating. Revolting.

"Look what you did, you demon!"

And he looked.

Horrified, he stepped up in the middle of the circle, eyes widening as he finally saw what was lain there in a pool of blood, motionless… lifeless.

A body. Someone he knew –someone he'd known far too well.

He was sprawled on his back, head bent in an unnatural angle, facing the blond teen, who just _couldn't_ look away. Pitch black hair, cut short. A hitai–ate tied around his forehead, crimson eyes widened and veiled in death, glazed over, glassy and void of any other emotion but the fear that was still clear… even in death. Shattered clothes, soaked with dark blood, and a dark mark visible on his neck.

Those eyes…

Accusing… Empty.

Sasuke.

"No…" he murmured, his voice so low he himself couldn't hear it, nausea pooling inside him.

He stepped back, horrified. That was Sasuke's body, in a pool of his own blood. Not breathing, not moving… _why_ was Sasuke there? Why was he on the ground, like a broken doll? Why wasn't he moving?

Dead, he realized. There was no way Sasuke could be still alive, not after all that blood loss… not with those empty eyes… not with the way his neck was twisted…

Dead? No, Sasuke _couldn't_ be dead…

"No!" he turned to look at the faces all around him, but on every single one of them he saw the same sentence… _'Murder…' _"No! I didn't kill him! He was gone! I did not kill him!"

"Monster! You killed him!"

"You let out the demon and you killed the Uchiha Prodigy! You are nothing but a demon! You should die for this!"

"No, I didn't! I didn't!" Naruto tried to back away from the blood, from the motionless body that was obviously Sasuke's, but the people around him stepped forwards, blocking his way out. Naruto gasped as someone grabbed his arm, and looking up he recognized a familiar face –it was Tsunade. "I didn't kill him! **I didn't**!" he cried, desperately trying to have her believe him. she was family, she trusted him, she would understand… "You _do_ believe me, right?"

But Tsunade's expression was unmerciful.

Her eyes shone with the same hatred all the others had. She was glaring at him, and the grip on his arm was painful… but not as much as the look in her eyes. "I thought you were a good person, Naruto, but I was wrong," her voice was like a knife slicing through Naruto's heart. "Look at your hands, you killed your best friend…"

Naruto stared in shock at his hands; the nails were now long, as sharp as claws, and they were covered with blood… fresh blood, crimson like the widened eyes of Sasuke–

"No!" he yelled. "I would never have…"

He was released from the grip only to be pushed down, falling on top of Sasuke's body. Blood covering his clothes and face, fingers, knees, blood covering him as he backed away again, but his eyes could not leave Sasuke's face. Tears slowly streaked down his cheeks.

He was his best friend…

"Monster!"

He didn't do it!

"Demon!"

Blood, so much blood… all on him…

"Murder!"

He grasped his head in his blood stained hands, trying to block away the accusing voices.

"Abomination!"

'_No, no, no, no…'_

"He should have killed you when he had the possibility!"

'_**Noooo!**__'_

–**End Dream–**

Blue eyes snapped open and he jolted up in a sitting position, tears streaming down his cheeks, heart pounding hard in his ears.

It took him a while, trembling, cold and scared, to understand that he was huddled in a bed –a _hospital_ bed.

Sasuke was not dead… he hadn't killed him at all.

But… he was still gone. Gone from the village because Naruto had not been strong enough to take him back… and he hadn't been strong enough to face Itachi either…

A wave of nausea hit him; he felt alone. He wanted someone… anyone… even if that would make him look weaker than he was already, he really wanted someone to be there for him.

Naruto was a strong person, but after the ordeal with Itachi, his nightmare, his friends being revealed about Kyuubi and the fact that he had failed Sakura by not taking Sasuke back…

It was too much. Didn't he deserve to have someone to cheer him up, for once? Someone that could be there for him, if only to tell him that everything would be ok? He felt cold and alone and abandoned.

Would someone even want to…

'_Monster…'_

He shuddered.

All that _pain_. That _hatred_.

He knew it was real. All real. This was simply what the village thought of him. All the people in Konohagakure… they hated him. He wasn't one to live in denial, after all, and what the Tsukiyomi had showed him was simply the raw truth.

Oh, he could live with knowing that, he'd been ignoring the villagers' hatred ever since he could remember, but…

But now Sasuke was gone. The person he had considered his best friend was gone, and truth to be told, Naruto was tired.

There was nothing that could replace a friend that had considered him normal, in his way, and an equal, but that friend had rejected him and tried to kill him. having someone who was as hurt as he was, who could understand what it meant to be alone… with Sasuke, Naruto had finally someone to befriend that could really _understand_.

They were rivals, they were friends, they were almost… brothers. They respected each other, and Naruto had thought that with Sasuke he could finally be himself –have someone that could see him for who he was.

He'd thought he could forget his nightmares and finally have something normal.

And then Sasuke had decided to leave to pursue power, leaving Naruto behind again. Alone again… and more than that, it was Naruto's fault Sasuke had left.

After having tasted what it meant to have friends, Naruto was alone again, and it was easier to slip and allow the hatred from the village to reach deep inside him.

They would always hate him, and it was in times like these that Naruto felt his faith waver; would he ever make them change idea? Would they ever see him as something different from a demon, a monster?

He was fighting hard, but so far, there had been no change…

Gritting his teeth so that nobody outside the room could hear his muffled screams, Naruto felt tears roll down his cheeks without being able to stop them.

He was alone, so it was ok to let it go, if only for a moment… right?

And damn, it hurt. The more he cried, the more he felt empty and useless; he had promised himself that he would never cry, that he would be strong even when it hurt, and he would never act as if something was wrong.

He had wished with all his heart to be accepted, but it was harder to believe things would ever change, now.

It was hard to keep on believing. It was hard to ignore the hatred, the glares, the whispers behind his back. He needed to get even stronger then, so that even if they were to keep on hating him, he would be strong enough not to care about it anymore.

Curled into the hospital bed, smelling the antiseptic in the air and hiding his face under the blankets, Naruto continued crying, letting everything go and knowing that he would feel better afterwards, even if now he felt like shit.

He was alone, and he was useless and hopeless, and it hurt, and probably his dream would take far too much time to become reality, and he knew he was wallowing in self pity, but… if he couldn't have someone at his side to tell him it was ok, then he would at least allow himself a moment of weakness.

Then, he would go back to being strong.

When Tsunade returned in the room with a mug of coffee followed by Jiraiya, both looking weary and tired, Naruto had fallen asleep again, tears carefully wiped away, and neither of the two Sannin noticed as they sat down at his sides again.

He didn't know that Tsunade had been sitting there, looking after him, for the whole night, or that the one he called Ero–sennin had remained in the room as well, eyes lost outside of the window, hoping that Naruto was ok.

He didn't know that his friends had been huddled together in a room not too far from the one he was in now, waiting for his return, one awake during the whole night to think about things he'd been told.

He wasn't aware of that yet, but there were a lot of people who, when looking at him, never saw a demon or a monster, but simply Naruto.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** so that was it. Drop me a review if you feel like it, you'll brighten up my day!

To be clear –there won't be any SasuNaru. Maybe, and I'll stress the '_maybe_', there could be hints, but don't take it at face's value. They were friends before Sasuke betrayed him, and that's why Naruto still has issues… he is sure he was the one who betrayed Sasuke first.


	4. Decisions

**Edited:** 16/04/2011

**StarsOfYaoi****:** I want to be clear on something… Itachi is not destined to become a darker, sexier version of Mousse from Ranma in this fic. The problems of his Mangekyou Sharingan will be dealt later on, with time, so please trust me, ok?

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angsty, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 04****: Decisions**

Naruto awoke by the sunrays on his face, nuzzling at him and forcing him out of his troubled sleep.

His eyelids trembled slightly before opening slowly, blue orbs blinking at the sudden and mostly unwanted light that called him out from his dreams… well, better then, nightmares.

With a soft groan, Naruto blinked again, rubbing his eyes with his hands in an attempt to shift away from the sun, hiding his face into the pillow with a low growl; he really didn't want to wake up.

Despite being glad of a reprise from his nightmares, as they had haunted him all night, forcing him away from a healing sleep over and over, the coming to consciousness felt more like something he should dread than to be relieved about.

There was a lingering feeling from the night before, and he didn't want to have to face the world, no matter how childish this wish of his was. Facing the day would mean having to deal with too many things, for which he wasn't ready yet.

His friends knowing about Kyuubi, for example. That was the only thing left to deal with at the moment.

Still caught with the depression from the previous day, Naruto also considered facing the fact that maybe his dream wouldn't be as easy to achieve anymore –being a Hokage with a village that continued hating him? was he even able to get that far?

It hurt, but a part of him was still refusing to admit defeat.

Being Hokage… it was his dream, his ultimate goal, and it had been so for as long as he could remember, and he wasn't ready to give up on it. He needed this dream to continue on.

After all, having a demon inside didn't mean he wouldn't be able to reach that goal, right? It was ok to let his walls drop for a moment, and wallow in sadness, but he had to pull himself together and just continue moving.

He wouldn't allow himself to keep wallowing.

Naruto groaned, resigning himself and finally standing up to sit on the bed; he had a lot to think about, but first he needed to check his surroundings.

When he had woken up the night before, he had noticed he was in a hospital room, which meant he had been rescued from Itachi at some point, but he hadn't questioned the fact, too lost in his grief to even care about that.

He vaguely remembered someone calling his name right as he was being pulled into Itachi's Tsukiyomi, so maybe Tsunade had been the one to help him then.

He'd believed in the Hokage, and the woman had proved him right. He'd been rescued successfully, and was still in Konoha.

This wasn't the same room he had been into before, though. There were no flowers on the table, nor the 'get well' cards he had received from Hinata and Shizune. Did Tsunade put him in a different room, then? If so, why?

Shrugging, Naruto continued looking around. It didn't really matter much.

And he was alone. For the moment, it suited him well –he had many things to think about, and he needed time to ponder about everything, and to calm himself enough to return to that cheerful mask he wore around others, so they would not worry about him.

He was aware that he had very few people he could count on, but if they saw him being hurt, unable to fight, they'd only try to help, endangering themselves in the process.

This wasn't something he wanted. It was better to just fake he was ok, and that he could take everything… then they would be safe. They would be proud of him, and nobody would notice he was hurting.

Once upon a time, he had promised himself that he wouldn't let anyone step on him, and that he would always stand back up with a smile. He always respected his word, that was his _nindo_.

And hiding his pain behind a mask of happiness also helped with those that hurt him –when hurt, never show it, or they will hurt you more, knowing they can get beneath your skin. Knowing this, Naruto always smiled. It was natural. It was expected.

It was hard not to, after a while, when the actions had turned into a routine.

The first times it had been hard, of course, but nowadays it was so easy he barely noticed doing it, and as it was expected of him –Naruto was strong, even if he was silly and smiled so much and he was a klutz– so he had never looked back.

Brooding didn't suit it. It was more something like Sasuke would do.

Sasuke too had a mask, Naruto could recognise the signs too well, because the two of them were similar; they were not the same, but they were similar enough, in many ways. Sasuke's mask was to hide himself away so no one could understand how he felt, a 'don't touch, don't you dare coming close to me' mask, to scare people away.

Nobody did come close, nobody thought about telling the teen to stop dwelling on the past because it was wrong, nobody had tried to help him get rid of his desire for revenge… or simply tried to offer their friendship to him.

Naruto, of course, had tried that. He had gotten closer, nailing Sasuke until he had accepted him., but not even Naruto had truly seen the depths of Sasuke's despair until it was too late.

On his own, Naruto had only wanted to be noticed, painting for himself the mask of a prankster, so that people _would have_ to notice him, because to him, being ignored hurt more than any insult.

At least, by insulting him, the villagers acknowledged his presence.

Of course that didn't mean that he wanted the attention Akatsuki was giving him –they made him wish to be invisible, actually, if only to have them ignore him forever.

Shaking his head, not wanting to think about that any longer, Naruto slowly tested his body, stretching his muscles tentatively. He flexed his arms and legs, then tried to summon some chakra from his reserves.

He wasn't too badly hurt, just tired, his chakra still functioned properly, and the only scars he'd have left after Kyuubi finished healing him would be the mental ones, but he could deal with that.

He had to admit that, for as much as the demon inside him was the bane of his existence, he still did have a few good points.

Naruto wasn't sure whether to be grateful to have such power at his disposal, although he didn't like using it, or blame everything that had happened to him on the stupid fox inside him and be done with it.

Yes, it had aided him more than once, but…

'_Maybe I should stop thinking about that, it's not like I can do anything about it,'_ he reasoned dispassionately.

He felt empty. He didn't really want to think about the night before, about what had happened with the ANBU, and he was drained out. He had cried for a long time, and though he felt wary and exhausted, he also felt much better than he had been in a long time.

It looked like crying had helped, because he felt… relieved. Lighter, even. He had always thought that ninja should only cry out of happiness, but there were times when even the strongest ninja had to let go and get things out of their system.

Empty, yes, but also better.

Yawning, he closed all the confusing emotions away so that he wouldn't have to deal with them, at least not for the moment. The sun was high in the sky, warming his skin from the window, and the nightmares felt distant, misty, like they did every morning.

It was easy to forget about them, or else he wouldn't be able to keep on smiling.

Maybe avoiding things wasn't the best way to deal with them, but this was him, and he was the one to decide how and when to deal with things. If he did it now… he'd break down again. He didn't want to.

He was strong, he would just have to face things on his own pace. If his friends were to… if they ended up rejecting him, didn't that mean they were not good friends in the first place?

Still, they were the only friends he had made in the village, and if they were to hate him too… what was left for him in Konoha? He could consider that an even greater challenge, but it wasn't the same. He couldn't win them over again if they thought he was a demon…

After all, he had lied to them. Well, not lied… but he'd hidden something from them. He hadn't trusted them, so was he really expecting them to trust him now?

Tsunade, Jiraiya, Iruka, they cared for him, acknowledged him. He could do it for them, of course, but at times he thought that they just weren't enough. He was starved of attention, so while important to him, he needed more, too.

Despite his will to forget it all, and to always look forwards, he was really afraid, deeply so; he was quite aware that no matter what he could tell himself, if his friends really rejected him he would end up broken.

Maybe… if it had been Sasuke, he would have accepted him; he wouldn't have cared if the demon Kyuubi was sealed inside him, he would have called him '_dobe'_ or '_usuratonkachi'_ just like before. Nothing would have changed.

But there again, Sasuke had been the first to betray him… and not just him, but the whole village. and Sasuke knew nothing of the demon, even though he had to see the hints… Naruto _had_ used a lot of the fox's power during their fight at the Valley of End.

Still, could he put some faith in his friends? It was hard to do so, with how distant they had been for years, during their academy days. Yet, they were all growing up, were they? And his friends were not like the rest of the village. If he trusted them, would they really hurt him?

Was it worth it, to give them a chance?

He wasn't sure he'd be able to stand back up as if nothing was wrong, if they broke that fragile trust.

Was this his weakness?

He couldn't even face what Tsukiyomi had showed him, and he knew that was simply the truth. An illusion that had showed him nothing but reality.

He was guilty, he was a coward–

The door clicked open.

Naruto's thoughts scattered away like grain salts and a split second later, he was enveloped into a warm, tight embrace, too shocked by the sudden action to be able to speak up.

"Naruto! You are awake!"

Was that… Tsunade?

Naruto was, for the lack of a better word, stunned; she had never, ever, hugged him before. That was a shock by itself, really. Yes, she had held him close once, and she punched him through walls if he called her 'old', but not this kind of close contact.

He had ended up referring her as if she was family for him, but he hadn't thought about what exactly she thought of him; he wasn't one for profound thinking, of course, so he hadn't given the matter much thought before, but had always assumed that the way she thought of him was different from the way he thought of her.

The fact that she was there, holding him against her chest, tearing up in relief, her hands gently ruffling his hair, was a great comfort to him.

It felt good.

"Tsunade obaa–chan… I can't breathe… jeez!"

He was released from her arms, and he missed the warmth as soon as he was freed; it had felt rather nice. Comforting. Familiar… only Iruka had ever held him like that before, and that had only happened twice…

Looking up, he met a pair of light brown eyes, filled with tears, and smiled warmly at the woman.

He didn't know it, but he had grown to be the one great weakness of one of the strongest shinobi in the world. That was quite a feat.

"Naruto, you can't understand how worried I was… I'm glad you are…" and there he was, hugged again by an overemotional Tsunade, although this time she was mindful of not squeezing him too tightly.

Breathing the vanilla scent on her hair, that was tickling his nose, Naruto felt oddly relieved, and her words brought forth a wave of butterflies in his stomach.

She was worried about him. It was always weird to hear that coming from someone who was not Iruka, after all, but Naruto knew Tsunade enough to know she was being honest.

"Naruto, first and foremost… whatever he had you see… that was not real. Anything he did to you while under that Genjutsu…" she grabbed his face in her hands, tilting it upwards so she could look at him straight in the eyes, "it was _not_ real. Naruto, you have to believe me".

Shaking his head, still surprised at the comfort she was offering him with just her closeness, Naruto did the only thing he could.

"You are surely getting old… I guess paper work is finally making you lose it," he smiled broadly, but Tsunade was not fooled.

"Naruto, please," she whispered. "What did he show you?"

The blond teen fidgeted, looking down at his hands, smile wavering on his lips. He knew he'd have to tell her in the end, but the fact that he'd have to think about it, and then share it with someone else… no, he couldn't do it.

"Nothing… he just… it was…" he faltered. He could not repeat what he'd seen, nor the pain he'd felt, and everything was blurred and distorted now anyway.

The only thing that was still clear in his mind was the way Itachi's eyes had been spinning, cold and empty, so similar and yet so different from those of Sasuke. The rest was just a blur of pain and insults and darkness, melting together with his nightmares.

"Tsunade obaa–chan, I swear, it was nothing. I mean it. I'll… I'll be fine, ok?"

He felt bad for trying to deceive her like this, but he was positive he simply needed some time. He could move on. Just… some time. He would face it.

But he had to make Tsunade believe that, too… so he smiled at her, and he put all his heart into that one smile, so when she nodded and relented, he felt a wave of relief flood him.

She believed him, good. And it wasn't like he was lying to her, either, because he truly believed that he would just need some time to cope. Why wouldn't he?

Calming down a bit, Naruto turned to look at the window and Tsunade shook her head, looking fondly at him; she was proud he was taking everything so well, but she could easily see he was still hurt. Unfortunately, if she tried to force him to tell her what he'd felt, he might only clam up and it'd be worse.

She would have to accept the fact that Naruto would not explain further, and simply be happy he was still alive and still with her.

With a soft sigh, Tsunade straightened her back. At least for now, the only way she could help was by being there for him.

"Tsunade obaa–chan… were you really worried about me?"

While the question surprised her a bit, it wasn't really unexpected; schooling her face, she nodded, knowing that no words would ever manage to express what she had felt when seeing him in the snow, in front of the Uchiha.

She could have lost him.

Naruto glanced at her, and her nod was enough of an answer for him. his smile returned fully, just as a rumbling sound filled the air. "Ah, I'm so hungry, obaa–chan, can I have some ramen?" he laughed sheepishly.

Tsunade scoffed, but was more than happy to just agree; Naruto was apparently fine, even after a Tsukiyomi. She was thankful for that.

"Ramen is not good for your health, especially since you are a growing boy," a voice from the window answered the blond teen.

Naruto turned around and blinked, seeing Kakashi standing onto the windowsill, his only visible eye curved upwards. He was obviously smiling, the outline of his lips underneath the mask clearly told him so.

"Kakashi–sensei!" the blond exclaimed, seriously surprised about the sudden appearance of his teacher. "What are you doing here?"

"What, can't I visit a student of mine?" Kakashi said mock–hurt; he bounced into the room, hopping next to the bed and lifting his hand, about to speak more, but then something else appeared in a blur behind him, and a second later the silver haired jounin was face–flat on the floor, something tall, green and… _noisy_ coming inside through the same window.

"Ah, the flame of youth is burning from the early morning!" the green thing yelled loudly, and Naruto inwardly groaned.

Lee's teacher –Gai–sensei…

Seriously, Naruto admired Lee and his strength and devotion, and had took into serious consideration learning Gai's Taijutsu, but… no one in their right mind would appreciate their dressing style… or their other… oddities.

Gai brought one hand to his chest, tears falling from his eyes dramatically. "My eternal rival, don't let me stop you from properly showing your beloved student how burning _your_ flame is, I just wanted to check if young Naruto was fine, and since I saw that his youthful flame is actually burning strongly, I can happily go and train myself out!"

And he disappeared. Just like that.

'_Freak,__'_ Naruto thought with a shudder, blinking at the spot where Gai had been until a second before. He didn't know it, but the three adults in the room had just thought the same, too.

"So…" he coughed, attracting the attention of the other shinobi in the room, "can I have my ramen now?" he asked hopefully.

…–…–…–…

White eyes blinked tiredly as Neji finally awoke from his slumber, feeling more tired than he had been when falling asleep.

He had not been able to sleep properly all night, partly because of the noises coming from a few of the teens he'd shared a room with, partly because even if he wasn't that good at showing it, he was terribly worried for Naruto.

Well, not _terribly_. Or yes. Still, he was a Hyuuga, terribly worried or not, he wasn't showing it anyway.

He could hear Chouji snoring loudly, mixing well with Kiba's growling and snoring, and Lee's who was not only snoring, but also tossing and turning around in his sleep, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like 'the youthful flame' and 'if I don't achieve it, I'll do a thousand push–ups'.

He was used to Lee on his own, as he had shared a room with his teammate enough to become somewhat accustomed to his nightly rituals, but he hadn't had the 'pleasure' to do the same for the other two, and it showed –it was impossible for him to sleep comfortably there.

Not to mention that, although the situation was completely safe, he was worried that his uncle would realise he had allowed his cousin Hinata to sleep unguarded in a room full of teenager males.

While excusable during missions, this situation would probably make uncle Hiashi mad at him if he were to find out… maybe Hinata would be willing to not tell her father about that…

As his drowsiness finally disappeared, the first thing he became aware of was someone's gaze fixed on him; the feeling made him distinctly uncomfortable, but as he glanced around, frowning, everybody else was still sleeping.

Hinata was resting on one bed, amazingly still asleep despite the cacophony of noise; maybe she was used to this kind of chaos, as the Inuzuka heir was her teammate… Chouji, Kiba and Lee were all piled on the armchairs a nurse had allowed them to get into the room when it became clear that they would not leave until Naruto returned, while he had been sharing the second bed with…

Oh, Shikamaru was missing.

Neji scanned the room again, wondering where the Nara heir was, and finally spotted the teen in a corner of the room, sitting on the floor, looking like he was deep in thought –or maybe he was just meditating.

He was in the pose he'd assumed during his fight with Temari, his hands in front of him, fingers touching, eyes close.

For a split second, Neji wondered if it had been Shikamaru looking at him before –he was the only one not sleeping, after all…

"Good Morning Neji," the Nara's greeting was soft, and Neji composed himself enough to reply with an equally soft "hn".

Something flickered in Shikamaru's eyes that Neji couldn't read before the teen finally moved from his position, straightening and stretching up.

Neji flinched inwardly when he heard the other teen's bones popping.

"Hmm, I guess none of the others will be up for a while," Shikamaru looked around, eyes sharp. "And Shino is out somewhere looking for his bugs, so… what about a short visit to Naruto?"

With that one casual statement, Neji realised three things.

First –Shino _really_ wasn't there. The teen often faded into the background when in presence of Kiba, Lee or Naruto (who were quite more… attention–grabbing than he was), but there again, he was an Aburame. It was in his _genes_.

Second –Shikamaru had apparently been up for a while, meditating or thinking or whatever, and had left the room already once.

And third –he seemed to know where Naruto was.

"Hmm," he replied with a nod.

Shikamaru grunted in reply, one corner of his lips twitching upward, then left the room not even bothering to be quiet, as nobody would wake up if they hadn't already; Neji followed him silently, not even raising one eyebrow at the snoring trio.

The two walked down the corridor still in silence as Shikamaru led them both to Naruto's room, glad that the majority of them was still asleep. He was sure that Naruto wouldn't want to face all of them at once.

Despite the trust Naruto had in them –and Shikamaru wasn't exactly sure how much that was– this was something different, bigger. He would want the support, but he wouldn't be willing to ask for it.

He would probably expect them to reject him.

The best option so far was to have a private talk with the blond loudmouth first, but it would have been too troublesome to go alone to see him, and Neji just happened to be awake at the right moment.

Well, that and the fact that he had been staring pointedly at the sleeping Hyuuga until he woke up. Like his father used to say, will is what makes the world spin.

"Here," Shikamaru pointed to a closed door and without waiting a single moment he knocked. He wondered if Naruto was already awake.

"Come in".

Shikamaru's ears twitched at the tone and registered it to analyze it later; it was Naruto's voice, and it sounded a little strained.

He pushed the door open, and noticed that the Hokage and the white haired man from before, Jiraiya–sama, were there again, sitting at the blond teen's sides much like the previous night; Naruto was awake, and was currently pouting at the two Sannin.

The moment Naruto saw his new visitors, though, his face turned ghostly white and promptly looked away from them; he had tried to prepare himself for the obvious confrontation, but he hadn't succeeded at all.

"You again?" Jiraiya had noticed Naruto's stiffening, and decided to intervene, in an attempt to ease things for the two ninja. "That one popped around yesterday, too," he waved at Naruto with mock annoyance, "he didn't want to leave until we assured him you were fine".

Taken aback, Naruto finally looked over at Shikamaru, who scratched the back of his head, muttering something under his breath about troublesome old perverts, aware of the glare Neji was sending in his direction.

"You knew he was back yesterday already, yet you said nothing?" the Hyuuga was fuming in the typical Hyuuga fashion –glaring with all his might, eyes aflame, voice turned into a icy hiss, and face carefully blank. "_Shikamaru!_"

"… so troublesome…" Shikamaru drawled out, rolling his eyes. "You were sleeping, I was not, and he _really_ needed to rest…" with that, the lazy teen glanced over at Naruto. "Speaking of which, hey, Naruto, how are you feeling?"

Naruto was truly, utterly, completely confused.

Shikamaru was speaking to him normally, and actually looked rather concerned, underneath his usual grumpy self.

He knew of Kyuubi, so why was he acting this nicely with him?

A glance at Tsunade and Jiraiya offered him a possible answer to that; Tsunade was the Hokage, and people were used to hide their real intentions in front of her.

"Ah, I actually feel fine!" his face lit up with a smile that didn't really reach his eyes, and every person in the room noticed it.

Jiraiya snorted and stood up, knowing that the teens needed some time to discuss things on their own.

Stretching his back in an exaggerated way, Jiraiya let out a grunt. "I am not sure about you, but I need coffee. I'll be back shortly, brat".

Tsunade shrugged, also standing up. "I have some paper work to do, I'll check on you later, Naruto".

Both left the room unhurriedly, but as the door closed behind their back, the room was enveloped in a thick silence; Naruto refused to speak or even look at them, busying himself with brushing invisible dirt away from the sheets of the bed.

After a few seconds Neji, unable to stand the silence and knowing Shikamaru would not be the one to speak up first, realised it was all up to him.

"Naruto… what happened? You look like shit".

Well, that wasn't really what he'd wanted to say, but at least it was a start. _'What a stupid question anyway,'_ Neji thought.

Naruto mumbled something.

"I happened upon a fight between… Tsunade obaa–chan and… some intruders while I was…" he trailed off, _'while I was running away from you guys,'_ he concluded in his mind.

"I… see," _'I see? Come on, that's lame, even for me,'_ Neji felt like hitting his head against the closest wall. He really wasn't a morning person, no matter what other people thought. He needed at least a few more hours just to wake up, a cup of strong, black coffee and a shower to get to his usual level of coolness.

Shikamaru groaned. _'__**So**__ troublesome, and there I thought Neji would be the perfect person to drag with me here. Note to self, Neji is definitely __**not**__ a morning person…'_

He had to take matters into his own hands.

"Naruto, stop playing dumb and look at me," he ordered. He rarely used his commanding voice because he didn't want others to realise he had a leader vocation, but if the situation required it, he would gladly do it.

The blond teen snapped his eyes to him, unable to deny Shikamaru's request; that commanding tone seemed to require instant compliance.

Neji lifted one eyebrow in wonder, amazed at the sharp voice Shikamaru had used. He didn't seem like one to lead, but that tone was something else.

"Listen carefully, you troublesome _you_," Shikamaru's eyes were burning with a strong emotion neither of the two teens had ever seen, and Naruto was stupefied enough he had nothing to say.

Yes, definitely –Shikamaru had the attitude of a commander.

"I frankly don't care if you are the container of Kyuubi or the next necromancer in rising. Everyone has their own troublesome problems. I can understand that you thought it would be better not to tell us for fear of losing our friendship… but now it's in the open. We know. And nothing has changed. You are still Naruto, and I am still me. I still consider you a damn troublesome loudmouth," he waved his hand in Neji's direction. "And I think Mr. Blank here would say the same if he wasn't too busy sleepwalking and staring like a fish… and I can say the same for your other friends, who are currently still sleeping like troublesome logs in your room a few doors from here, waiting for you to come back. Did you hear me? _Nothing_ has changed".

Naruto didn't look convinced, though, but Shikamaru wasn't finished.

"We are your friends, Naruto. We've known you for a while. This thing in you… it's just that. Something inside you. It is not you. The Naruto I know is the Naruto I respect and that I grew fond of, no matter how many troublesome things it has brought down on me" he looked straight into Naruto's eyes. "I am your friend, Naruto. We all are, so you'd better start believing it".

He grimaced and fell silent.

**So** Troublesome.

Stupid _troublesome_ blonds.

Naruto blinked, burning tears welling up into his eyes, and he refused to let them fall. His chest was aching, but in a sort of good way.

He really didn't know what to say, because Shikamaru's words had hit all the right spots, quelling down his fears like water on a flame.

So, he smiled instead.

It was one of the brightest smiles Shikamaru and Neji had ever seen, and it said more than any long speech could ever hope to. There was no more need for words, then. A simple shared smile was all that was needed.

…–…–…–…

The blond had to refrain himself from sighing out aloud.

"Are you sure you are fine?" Tsunade asked one more time.

He nodded, "_yes_," he repeated, almost annoyed.

Naruto wasn't quite sure how many times he had been asked that in the last two days; Tsunade, Jiraiya, Kakashi–sensei, even Hinata and his other friends had kept on asking him, and every single time he had replied that yes, thank you, I feel fine.

Of course, while not exactly a lie, Naruto hadn't been truthful with them. They were looking so worried that he couldn't just tell them that he wasn't really all that fine.

He needed to come to terms with things on his own, but having people breathing on his neck all the time didn't really help him, one way or the other.

They never allowed him some time with himself, and every time someone had to leave, someone else would pop up –for how much Naruto enjoyed his friends' presence, their comfort and their clear care for him, he had noticed their reluctance to leaving him alone, and felt cheated.

Did they believe he was going to just drop into depression the moment he was left alone? He was a shinobi, for Kami's sake… (_he easily ignored the fact that during that night, he had actually wished someone to be there, and now he wanted to take it back… confusing, really_)

Yes, the Tsukiyomi had hurt him, but that didn't mean he could ignore the matter for long. He couldn't just discuss it with a friend (it was too personal, too raw) or with Tsunade, either.

But if nobody allowed him some time alone, how could he face everything on his own? What did they expect from him?

Naruto, if anything was not a coward. He'd vowed it on his blood, during his very first mission with his team –before meeting Haku and Zabuza, before everything had started going downwards…

But to be true to his word, he had to do things on his own terms. Thankfully, he was going to be dismissed by the hospital in a few hours, and then he would finally be away from the overwhelming presence of his friends for a while.

He loved them, he really did –but this was something he needed to do on his own.

Unfortunately, the fact that he was going to leave the hospital didn't sit well with Tsunade. She had fussed over him for at least a few hours, even though she couldn't find anything unhealed in his body that would force him to stay at least one more night in that place.

He was grateful that his friends were devoting their time to be with him though, while they could have used it to train or have fun on the own –not just Tsunade, who was the Hokage, or Jiraiya (who had probably refrained from spying into an onsen for the last two days), but also the Rookie Nine and Gai's team.

Well, not nine anymore –Sasuke was still gone. That was another sore point Naruto wanted to think about. And Sakura…

Sakura was probably still angry with him. Ino and TenTen had visited him once or twice, but Sakura hadn't.

The thought hurt, because Naruto was still unsure what to think about her, and he knew the pain she was clearly going through –hell, it was the same pain _he_ was feeling, too– but he was determined in allowing her all the time she needed.

Maybe she just deserved some more time, then maybe she would come around and forgive him…

"Are you sure you don't want Shizune to come with you?" Tsunade stared worriedly at the blond, noticing the way he was spacing out.

It was stupid of her to be worrying about him so much after everything he'd done in the past, and his bouncing back even after Itachi's attack, but she couldn't help it –she was afraid he would snap at any given moment, and she feared she wouldn't be there for him then.

Naruto deserved more attention, and she was really trying hard to give it to him –they all were.

"Tsunade obaa–chan, I'm fine. Really. I appreciate your concern, but I just want to go home… shouldn't you be worrying more over the pile of paperwork that's waiting at the office, though?"

"Yes yes," she replied, ruffling his hair _hard_. "Nothing can keep you down, right?"

Naruto smiled back, feeling she was finally relenting. "Nothing at all, old hag, you can be sure of that!"

As Tsunade's eye twitched, Naruto took his chance to leave the room, waving at her as he left that damned place. He couldn't believe he was _finally_ out of it.

His first thought once out of the hospital, as he breathed deeply the cool air and looked around –it was snowing again… winters were turning colder and colder nowadays– was to just drop everything and ran off to Ichiraku to get some of the food _he_ considered healthy, but after a moment, he shook his head.

As much as he wanted to eat first, he needed some time for himself, and if he were to go at his house or at Ichiraku, he was sure that someone would be there waiting for him already.

No, he needed to go somewhere more private where nobody would expect him to go to.

It was time he faced his ghosts, or at least a few of them. No need to push back that dreaded moment, otherwise he would never be able to let it behind.

With this thought on his mind he headed towards the Hokage Mountain, where he felt safe from the hatred of the villagers and the things that normally bothered him.

"_Monster!"_

He faltered on his steps but quickly resumed his pace, shaking his head. He would not let the nightmares get the best of him. After the attack (_Itachi's eyes in the darkness, the stinging pain of words that hurt, reminder of his weakness_), the nightmares had been more frequent, but they hadn't overwhelmed him. Yet.

The Hokage mountain was silently standing in front of him, and Naruto looked up at it with pride, knowing that soon enough a fifth face would join the previous four up there –Tsunade's face.

He was fond of that old hag, after all. She was nice, acting almost like a… mother with him. or a big sister –he wouldn't know how a mother acted, but she was still the closest thing to a mother he'd ever had.

Climbing up the mountain didn't take much, and once he reached his favourite spot, right on top of Yondaime's head, he felt better already.

The breeze curled around him, making him shiver slightly, but with the sun still up and bright, he wasn't cold yet; he could stay some more time and enjoy the peace and the sight before having to run off to his house to get some warmer clothes.

Underneath him, the village buzzed with life; people worked and walked around, trying to live their lives in peace. With his heightened eyes he could see villagers open their shops, or work around in their houses, in their gardens… he could even see kids gathering up at the Academy, one of the Chuunin teachers calling for them with a soft smile on their lips.

For a split second, Naruto wished he could be back at the Academy again. Many things had happened in the short span of a year, and many hadn't been easy on him, either. The Chuunin exams, Sandaime's death, Gaara, Orochimaru, Sasuke and his seal, then Itachi, Tsunade returning to be Hokage… then, Sasuke's betrayal.

And now…

Naruto curled up, legs tightly pressed against his chest, and placed his chin on his knees, sighing.

'_If not for Kyuubi,'_ he thought, _'my life would have been normal'_.

Or maybe not, but he wasn't one to dwell on the past too much. Past was past, nothing could change it. He couldn't, so why think of it?

He knew he was stalling, but he allowed himself to, simply staring at Konoha some more.

As he let his eyes linger on the villagers down there, he noticed a person he recognised well. It was one of those who used to insult him whenever they met him in the streets; he could remember his face twisting in anger and disgust as he yelled at him to go away, that he didn't deserve to go near him.

It was an old man, well, old as in, in his late forties. He was not a shinobi, and by what Naruto knew of him, he'd never been one; he used to work in a bookstore, and Naruto had seen Kakashi buy books from him more than once –all new editions of Jiraiya's works, of course.

The man was smiling, holding onto a little girl who was probably his daughter. He couldn't hear what they were saying of course, he was too far away, and he couldn't really see their expressions well, but they seemed happy.

So different from the anger the man reserved to him.

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he _was_ a monster…

One hand sneaked down to press on the seal that was there, on his stomach, hidden by his shirt, and he shook his head. No, he didn't really believe that. He was no monster, and it hadn't been his fault that Yondaime had decided to seal that demon inside him, either.

He didn't feel any hatred towards that man, though. Maybe he should have felt something –animosity, anger, at least a bit of resentment, but there was none. Seeing him happy with his daughter didn't make Naruto happy, but it didn't make him feel angered either.

It was… weird.

His mind reluctantly thought back to the meeting with Itachi. If he wanted to move on, he had to face it.

What was different from the usual mocking and yelling' nothing, except that he usually didn't have to listen to the villagers for more than a few minutes every day… within Itachi's Genjutsu he had to face all that hatred for what had felt like days.

It had never stopped, never lessened in intensity.

"_Monster!"_

"_Demon!"_

It had felt too real. It _hurt_. A blur of voices, hatred… things he didn't want to remember. Beatings. Mocking voices, hatred…

But then again, it _was_ real, because it was something that had truly happened. Not at once, but it had.

He had endured all of this already, and nothing had changed, so why did it feel worse now? He just had to keep on enduring it until…

Until what, exactly?

What was going to happen? What would make the village change enough to accept, or at least tolerate, his presence? What would make them finally see the Naruto that was not a demon?

He _would_ find a way.

Just like with everything else, he could put all the pain away, and endure. It was nothing different than usual.

Besides… Naruto blinked, looking down at the village again. In his mind, they were yelling at him again, but the people he saw from above the Hokage mountains were happy. It felt contrasting –it was so different.

They had every right to be happy, but he had every right to find balance, too. He had every right to be happy, too.

While he couldn't make them stop yelling at him or whisper against him, he could still continue on, because he didn't feel guilty or afraid of them anymore. They had hurt him, yes, but they couldn't really hurt him anymore now.

And if he could find a way to make them see… if he continued fighting like that… they would surely see the truth. One day, he would make them see the truth, even if he had to take them up one after the other.

Nothing had changed, and yet everything did.

There was someone else who knew about Kyuubi now, and they didn't consider him any differently from before. The village couldn't accept him, but his friends had.

He did make some progress, after all, and that made him smile softly, proud with himself.

Tsunade cared for him, and Jiraiya too, and Iruka–sensei and all his friends… and even Kakashi–sensei did.

They all cared.

Naruto's eyes fluttered close as he allowed the warmth caused by thinking about his growing family to fill him up.

His smile grew stronger, then faltered. The blond boy breathed deeply and confronted his next problem.

Sasuke.

It would be a lie to say Naruto hadn't been disappointed by Sasuke. He was. And it hurt to think Sasuke had thrown him away like garbage, without care. He was also rather angry –who the hell did Sasuke think he was? He wasn't above rules, he wasn't above others.

But Sasuke was a friend anyway. He was his first friend, and he had worked hard to gain Sasuke's respect, and now that he had it, he would get that stupid Uchiha back even if he had to do it by dragging him screaming and kicking all the way down from Otogakure.

If it was just a matter of strength, then Naruto would get stronger and kick his ass. He wasn't going to lay down and accept defeat. And getting strong enough to get Sasuke back would also be a way to show his village that he wasn't a demon.

And… and he would make Sakura happy, too.

'_More lies, more fake reassurance,'_ a part of his mind whispered in his ear. He did not listen. He was becoming good at ignoring this part of him, knowing it was just the depressed and negative part of him.

Crimson eyes flickered before his closed eyes.

Itachi.

That was another problem, and a big one.

The older Uchiha was strong, so strong that he was a threat for Tsunade as well, no matter her own strength. And he was after _him_. Naruto knew, despite his usual bragging around, that he was not strong enough to stop the raven haired from taking him if it came down to that.

They wanted Kyuubi.

Naruto sighed. He knew nothing of Itachi. He had always rushed in battles without knowing, and like Sakura once said, his attitude would one day cause his death. He wanted to live on and keep the Akatsuki away from Kyuubi, and once again that meant he had to get stronger.

It all came down to that, right?

But he was also curious. Itachi had appeared insensitive, emotionless. Completely opposite to Sasuke. And Naruto wanted to know what had brought all of this on.

There was a famous saying… 'know your enemy', or something like that. And Kakashi had stated once, 'keep your friends close, but keep your enemies even closer'. Naruto was sure that didn't mean making friends with them, but sure it meant he had to get to know them.

If he put his mind into knowing everything about Itachi, he would surely learn what were his weaknesses, too.

That would make him understand what to do to win against the elder Uchiha, and maybe even understand why Itachi had killed his family, leaving the village, only to join an organization that wanted to gain the power of the demons.

In a way, Itachi was the primary cause for everything, even Sasuke's betrayal.

Naruto's eyes flashed in anger. He had his faults, too, for not being able to stop Sasuke when they had fought, but Itachi was the root of this problem, and although he couldn't come to hate the older man, at least he could be angry at him.

He would get strong enough to get his answers from that man!

"That's what I have to do! Just wait for me, Uchiha Itachi!"

Naruto smirked, feeling some of his old self come back. It made him feel better. It was another promise he would have to keep.

He had to turn this fear he felt for Itachi into something different, or he would continue freezing up again and again. Yes, Itachi scared him, because he could not understand him at all, and he was strong and ruthless.

He had promised Sakura that he would take Sasuke back.

That was his promise, and he told her it was a lifelong promise. If he trained enough to be strong, and started studying Itachi –the only one of his enemies he could get information about, after all– in the end he would be able to become stronger than him and Orochimaru.

Sasuke wanted Itachi's death. That's why he went for Orochimaru's power.

It was all about the older Uchiha.

'_I will stop playing stupid. This is not a game'_ he thought. _'No more fooling around'._

Besides… after taking Sasuke back, maybe he could travel a bit around. Not forever, of course, but he could be like Ero–sennin, and maybe learn ways to make the village understand.

He stared down again. The village was still there, still living, without him. It did not need him at all. But Naruto loved this village. He had no reasons to, but he loved it. Not the people who hated him, but he loved the place. He loved it for Sandaime, and even Yondaime, his hero (no matter if he'd placed Kyuubi inside him). And he loved it because of Tsunade, Jiraiya, Iruka–sensei, and Kakashi–sensei, and his friends, and…

There were people he wanted to protect there, no matter what.

As long as there was even one single person in there who cared for him, Naruto would always protect this place, and love it with all of his heart, because that was his house.

He would never leave forever, and he would die as one of Konoha's shinobi. He would serve the village in his own way, and he would stay to protect.

Because if so many people died to protect the village… Yondaime, Sandaime… and the many shinobi whose names were on the stone Kakashi–sensei had showed him… it meant the village was worth it.

Right now, there was only one thing he could do, then… train, get strong, and learn to understand.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** thank you for reading this new chapter! Please don't forget to drop me a review, you know I love them!

Naruto needed some time with himself to think quietly. They were not leaving him alone, but he needed to sort things out after his breaking down from last chapter. The moment he was left alone, he finally had enough time to think things through.

I hope this chapter didn't feel too much like a filler, because all my chapters are needed, if only for small details you've got to pick up… :D


	5. Burning

**Edited:** 17/04/2011

**StarsOfYaoi****:** to those worried about Sakura, you will see in this chapter her side on things. I don't hate her (I didn't like her before, but that dislike disappeared and I'm rather fond of her now), but she needs to grow up. She will do that, too.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 05****: Burning**

'_What's wrong with me?'_

That particular thought had flashed through Sakura's mind many times in the last few months, but she had never really lingered on it, because otherwise she'd have to agree with her inner self, and that would be like admitting defeat.

Because Haruno Sakura would never admit that she was a bad person, not even with herself.

Two months; two months had passed ever since Sasuke had betrayed Konoha and left the village, and in all this time, she had never visited Naruto in the hospital… not even once.

At first, she had simply wiggled her way out of visiting, because, as she reasoned with her conscience, she had all the time in the world to visit him. It wasn't like he would disappear overnight, right? Not like Sasuke. Never like Sasuke.

The truth was, Sakura was ashamed of herself. She had allowed Sasuke to leave –she had a few, precious minutes to talk with him, and she had not been able to stop him.

So it was easier to just find other things to do, instead of going to the hospital. There was her mother to help, then there was cleaning her room, then various commissions for her father…

Every day, she'd think 'ok, I'll go see him today' and every evening she'd smile sheepishly and think 'ok, well, I'll go tomorrow'. It was easy to just find new excuses, even with her own conscience.

Lately, though, that nagging feeling was growing harder to ignore, and the part of her that was calling her a liar, a weak coward, a stupid was stronger and stronger.

It had been especially hard to ignore after what had happened just three days before, when Naruto had almost died (no details had been offered as to why exactly he had been standing in the forest to freeze to death, though); Ino–pig had popped up at her house the morning after to tell her everything about it.

In fact, Ino had been rather quiet when she had talked about the 'incident', as Sakura had dubbed it, as the blonde hadn't been there when it had happened –but both her teammates had been.

When Sakura hadn't asked her anything about it, Ino had turned thoughtful for a moment, then had excused herself and left her house.

Sakura had, of course, felt bad for Naruto. It wasn't fair that he'd been so close to dying for the second time in two months.

And still, despite all of that, Sakura was still in her house, sitting on her bed, and had no intention to go to the hospital to see Naruto.

Why?

Well, she wasn't _entirely_ sure.

Part of her wanted to cling to her earlier anger, because he hadn't returned to Konoha with Sasuke. That part continued spouting nonsense about his broken promise, how he hadn't been strong enough.

Of course, Sakura could delude herself as much as she wanted, but that wasn't the truth.

Her fury had abated as soon as she had confronted Naruto about it, and it had never truly returned to her. Any anger she felt now was just a vain attempt to use it as an excuse.

Sakura felt guilty. That was the raw, dirty truth. She felt guilty, and every single day made her feel guiltier and guiltier, and the weight was so damn heavy, and yet she kept running away from it, unable to face the truth.

She was the one who had asked Naruto to promise to take Sasuke back, no matter what. He had almost died doing so, not caring at all for his own safety; he would have left the village not even a week later to search for the Uchiha if Tsunade hadn't forbidden him to step outside of Konoha's bounds.

Naruto was intentioned in keeping his promise, even if he had to give up his life to do so, and that was all Sakura's fault.

She had cared so much for Sasuke that she'd never seen the value Naruto put in their friendship until it was too late, and then she had used it to make Naruto promise on it.

And now, she was afraid that she would have to take that promise back. She was far too egotistic to do that, because she wanted Sasuke to come back so much… but was it worth Naruto's friendship?

Had they ever been friends in the first place? She wasn't even sure about it anymore.

Sighing and feeling tears pool in her eyes, Sakura curled on her bed and brought the blanket above her head; she had been wasting out her day watching soap operas on her small TV, but had given up as soon as she'd realised how the story reminded her too much of her own.

_Guilt._

The pink haired kunoichi still cared for Sasuke, even if he'd betrayed the village and left to go with Orochimaru. She didn't know why he'd given up on his life in Konoha, but she was sure he had a good reason to leave… maybe it was because of that seal on his neck.

Yes, that was surely the reason… and Naruto was just too weak to get him back, of course, because Sasuke was the prodigy of their class and Naruto was the dead last.

_Liar._

And now Sasuke was gone, and Naruto was all that was left. And the moment she had known, she had wished with all her heart that the one gone was Naruto, not her dear Sasuke.

Shit, the guilt was so heavy it was even hard to breathe, at times. It nauseated her to think she was such an egoistic bitch, and despite knowing better, a part of her (the same part that was trying to fuel that anger that was no more) was still wishing that.

It was exactly because of this guilt that Sakura could not, _would not_ face Naruto.

A single look at Naruto's face would make all the carefully built lies crumble down, and then Sakura would have to face the truth… and she _couldn't_. Naruto was the friend she didn't deserve, the one who had always smiled at her, helping her even if she kept insulting him, even when she preferred to believe in whatever lie the villagers spouted instead of believing _him_.

_Coward._

Pining over the Uchiha boy who had only looked at her with disdain, treating her coldly, refusing all her invitations and advances… because Sasuke was loved by the village, even worshipped, and since he was mysterious, it meant he was sexy.

She loved him, not Naruto.

It didn't matter how these feelings had come to be, she couldn't change them at will… but that made her feel guilty anyway.

Sakura could not look into Naruto's eyes and blame him because he had failed her, when in truth, _she_ was the one who had always failed them both.

But she loved Sasuke, and Naruto had not taken him back, so she _had_ to be angry, she _had_ to despise him…

'_What's wrong with me? Why can't I face him? Why?'_ she wiped the tears away with a grimace, uncaring if she looked sloppy and messy.

And all the while, she still couldn't gather enough strength into her to get up and go to Naruto. She couldn't even bother to notice that small, unwanted part of her that screamed at her to just _listen_–

There was a soft knock on her door, then Sakura's mom peeked inside the room, looking at her distressed daughter with a small, worried frown; she'd allowed her child to wallow for over two months because she knew she'd been heartbroken over her teammate's betrayal, but now she realised she'd allowed this to go on far too much.

"You're still in here, sweetie? Shouldn't you be…" she trailed off, but her unsaid words lingered between them nonetheless. _'visiting your teammate?'_

Sakura glanced up at her mother, needing to speak with someone about her inner turmoil. She needed the comfort that only a mother could give, so she did the only thing she could –she threw herself into her mother's arms, and spilled out everything.

Her fancying Sasuke, Naruto's promise, her disappointment when Naruto hadn't kept it, and the way she had treated him afterwards…

Her mother held her close as she listened, but didn't speak up until Sakura had finally fallen silent, sobbing quietly and hiding her face in the older woman's lap; the two remained like that for a while, with Sakura's mother gently caressing her daughter's hair.

"Sakura…" at her mother finally speaking up, green eyes fluttered open to look up at her.

The woman didn't know how to start. She knew she should have talked things out with her daughter before all of this had happened.

"I remember when you were little," she started, voice warm. "You would always agree to what others your age told you. If a girl said your favourite shoes were weird, you would come to me crying because you didn't like them anymore, and you didn't stop until you had a new pair".

Sakura blinked, unsure where her mother was going with this.

"When kids started laughing at you because they said you had a big forehead, you were so hurt you asked me to buy a new one," her mother chuckled slightly at the memory. "You were really sad, but you allowed them to pick on you, no matter what I said… then, Ino came around and told you 'so what?', and you were finally able to let the hurt go".

Flushing slightly, Sakura looked down at her lap, still wondering why was her mother reminiscing about these things.

"You started liking Sasuke–kun because a lot of your friends seemed to like him. I remember you coming home one day, dancing around and declaring you would become 'Sasuke–kun's wife', because 'Ino–pig isn't pretty enough for him'… it was such a surprise… and then of course, once you realised other kids were laughing and insulting Naruto, you started doing that, too".

Sakura scooted away from her mother, feeling offended that her mother was talking to her like that. "Wh–what?" she blinked, hastily wiping away the tears. It was so no true… a glance at her mother's face made her falter.

"Sweetie, you can think on your own," the woman continued, voice gentle. "Which is why you're feeling so bad, now… you're Naruto–kun's friend, but you still cling to the idea you had of him before, and you can't accept that you were wrong about Sasuke–kun, because you thought so highly of him, and the highest opinion you have of someone, the furthest they fall".

Sakura turned as white as a sheet.

No, it wasn't that. She wasn't this shallow, was she? She liked Sasuke for a lot of valid reasons, and although she was a bit more open into admitting she might have been wrong about Naruto, she surely hadn't started liking Sasuke just because others had.

There had to be proof of that.

She thought back to the first time she had realised she liked Sasuke. She had been fascinated by him, of course. He was… he'd been cute, and brooding made him look so cool, with that aura of mystery around him…

'_He's always been such a spoiled brat, though__,'_ the part of her she didn't want to listen commented. _'I thought he was mean at first. Then Hana–chan commented how cool he was, and how she would have liked to play with him…'_

Shaking her head slightly, Sakura gritted her teeth. No, of course not, Sasuke was perfect. So what if he didn't talk with people, or ignored anyone who would offer him friendship… she still liked him.

And Naruto. People always told her to stay away from him.

The nice man at the bookstore always gave her stickers, and always commented on how educated she was –_"as opposite to that kid… you'd do well keeping away from him, he's bad company for you, Sakura–chan!"_

And yet… Sasuke kept ignoring her, even going as far as to look down at her, even if they were supposed to be teammates. And Naruto was there whenever she needed him. He always smiled at her, even when she treated him poorly, and was always nice with her.

He'd been her friend, but she had never been his.

'_I'm… I am really a horrible person,'_ she realized.

A liar. A coward. A guilty bitch.

"I… mom, I've failed them both…" she couldn't believe it. "I couldn't even help them… I just went along with the crowd and never tried to think things with my own brain… and now I probably lost both…"

Sakura felt her mother gently hold her close again, stroking her hair soothingly as she replied, "no… at your age it's normal to be influenced by others… it's normal to do mistakes… but now that you know, you can just make things better… right?"

Sakura nodded.

Naruto was her friend. she was his. And Sasuke… she was his friend too, in the end.

She'd demanded Naruto to get Sasuke back, but she couldn't wait in the back like a damsel in distress… she would have to get stronger too, and help Naruto on her own.

Because they were Team7, a three–men cell.

Wriggling out of her mother's embrace, Sakura stood up, straightening her back and wiping the last few tears away with the back of her hand, rubbing her eyes until they were dry.

"You are the most amazing mom in the world, you know that?" with a shaky smile, Sakura ran out of the room.

Seconds later, her mother heard the front door slam close.

"I know, I know," the woman said to herself, a proud look flashing in her green eyes.

…–…–…–…

Naruto felt as if he had just stepped into a minefield.

Why was he here again?

Blue eyes looked up at the row of buildings standing in front of him, staring intently at the part of Konoha had had always been, since he could remember, the Uchiha estates.

He'd never bothered coming here before, mostly because there was nothing there to see, only empty houses and streets, but to be honest, there was another reason he had never ventured through this estate, not even after the murder.

The Uchiha had always been Konoha's pride, and associating their name with Naruto had always brought him nothing but pain; if he was seen lingering around their area, he would get hurt, as simple as that.

It had happened once, when he was five.

Three men had seen him wandering around, glancing in amazement and curiosity at the houses, not even paying attention to where he was going; he had bumped into them, and he could barely remember what had happened afterwards… they had kicked and pushed him all the way from the Uchiha district to the orphanage he'd been living at during that period.

That had caused the orphanage to kick him out, and he'd been told, with no sweet words, that if he was ever seen loitering around that place again, he would not live to see another day.

For a kid, such words had been painfully devastating, and the orphanage had refused to take him in again until the Hokage himself had moved to make them do it… not that it had lasted much.

He'd been permanently banned from the institute barely two years later, when he had started going to the Academy. By then, the Sandaime had given him an apartment, and Naruto had been way happier there than ever before.

That was why, not even after the Uchiha were killed, Naruto had never returned to that place. There was nobody to carry on the threat anymore, but the memory was still fresh.

And yet, now, things were different.

This was where Sasuke had lived for all his life. This was where Itachi had once lived, too. This was where, so many years before, the entire clan had been wiped away without anyone noticing until it was too late.

How a single boy, without any apparent effort, had been able to take down one of the most feared and respected clans of Konoha without attracting any attention on himself until he'd been miles from the village was beyond Naruto.

Itachi had been that strong…? For real?

Itachi had been Naruto's age when he'd coldly killed his whole clan. Thirteen. Naruto cringed at the thought, sharply reminded that it was wrong… not just the massacre, but the fact that Itachi had been his age –merely a kid.

What could have caused such a rampaging massacre? Why?

This was where he had to start. To understand, he had to start _there_. No one would help him or tell him anything, not even Tsunade –even though she'd been far from Konoha the night of the massacre, so she couldn't help him either way.

But none of the adults who knew would tell him anything. They'd say it wasn't his business.

A taboo, something nobody was willing to talk about. Was it shame, as they had been unable to stop it, or was it something else? Naruto felt there was more underneath the surface, but he couldn't reach that far yet.

'_Here__… it all started here,'_ he thought, looking up at the estate.

Right in front of him, the gates of the compound looked imposing and huge; a street, houses, shops, building… behind that gate, an entire part of the village lain silent, empty, void of life. It gave away the sensation of a growing state of disrepair, abandon –dusty and shabby and untidy and unwanted. The snow covering everything made it look even more ethereal.

And no one lived in there. Since the massacre, nobody except Sasuke had ever entered or left those gates.

Hollow. A ghost town, that was what this place was.

No people walking down the street, no children playing around; no men yelling from their shops, no women chatting together from window to window. No shinobi patrolling the streets, no life.

It was so… silent.

Nothing was moving, it was as if even the wind wasn't blowing in that place.

Sasuke had lived in there after his clan had been wiped away. He'd lived in this silence every single day of his life; Naruto could not blame him at all if he ended up the way he did.

This was how Sasuke's rage and hatred had expanded. By seeing the familiar place once filled with laughter and chatting now silent and empty… it was as if the place was asking for revenge, and that was barely the surface of Sasuke's despair.

His anger, his hatred, growing stronger and stronger every day.

Voices that were not there haunting his sleep, forcing him down that one path; maybe the Uchiha were still controlling the lives of their still living relatives, even after death.

Naruto was angry. If Sasuke had been allowed to live elsewhere, maybe he would have given up on the hatred, finally able to move on instead of being forced down a path of revenge by his past.

Loving your family was good, of course, and Naruto could understand far too well the craving for someone to call your own, but… all of this… it was too much.

The solitude. The silence.

It reminded him of his apartment, but there again, if Naruto wanted to speak to someone, Iruka–sensei was just a few blocks away. Even if he had no family to start with, at least Naruto could walk around and _see_ people –counting the ones that insulted and hit him as well. But Sasuke… he lived a little too far away from the rest of the village. He was almost isolated.

Completely alone.

Someone could have helped.

No one did.

The village had never helped. Like they had never helped Naruto either… or like they had never helped with the Hyuuga.

Naruto knew he was not supposed to be there. He knew it, but he didn't care. He would go in deeper, and _understand_. This was the only thing that mattered now.

Because…

The first time he'd met with Itachi, and then Sasuke had arrived to fight with him… Itachi had said something to his brother, right before leaving with the fish–guy.

His attention hadn't been focused on him at the time, but more on the fact that he had just seen this guy immobilise Sasuke with barely any strain, but then the man had spoke up, and his words had somehow attracted him.

They had lingered in the back of his mind for a long time afterwards, and were still replaying in his mind, even now.

Itachi had said…

"_You are weak… because your hatred is not enough…__"_

Oh, Sasuke hated Itachi with all his heart. When he'd been close to death, in the Wave country, Sasuke had regretted being unable to survive long enough to kill his brother, and the day they had introduced themselves to each other, Sasuke had stated how his goal was to kill 'a certain someone'.

Before the massacre, Sasuke had probably looked up at his brother, and then, he had been forced to see the true face of the brother he'd respected so much.

Surely this was enough hatred.

Naruto wasn't sure if that was it, as he had never had a brother to compare things with, but his heart told him he was probably right in his assumptions.

So then, why had Itachi said that? It was clear that Itachi didn't hate his brother… he didn't feel anything for him, Naruto had seen the emptiness in those crimson orbs.

Why say something like this, then? As if Itachi _**had**_ felt something. If not for Sasuke, then, for who? Did Itachi hate his family? If so, why?

He had been told that Itachi had killed his clan to prove his own strength.

If this was true, Itachi should not feel anything towards his brother; maybe simple curiosity. He'd allowed him to live, he hadn't killed him. But during their first meeting after over five years he had told Sasuke 'to endure and hate him more'.

If Itachi clearly didn't care for Sasuke why leave him alive?

Why?

If Itachi had killed his kin to prove himself, why not the Hokage, the stronger shinobi of the village? He could have killed his family without feeling a single thing. He could have decided to leave Sasuke alive just to amuse himself.

But then, his words didn't make sense.

"_You are weak… because your hatred is not enough__"._

He'd said Sasuke could not hate _enough_.

But Sasuke had given up his life to kill Itachi. He had barely had a life in order to train, and then all his thoughts, from morning to evening, were circling around that hatred. Nothing could compare to that feeling.

Scratching the back of his head, Naruto stopped in the middle of the street. He had entered through the main gates of the district without even realising it, and was wandering, completely lost, within that empty silence.

Closing his eyes, he tried to picture in his mind the voices and noises of Konoha applied to this place.

With great strain, he tried to picture how the district could have looked when filled with life.

People chatting as they walked by, just like Konoha early in the morning… kids running around, laughing…

His eyes snapped open again, and again the silence enveloped him, so tight and heavy that he felt the need to do something, anything, in order to give this place some sound.

Yelling, screaming, stomping his feet down…

He was standing in the middle of a tomb. A mausoleum. Death still lingered here, even after five years. It would never go away.

He knew it had to be painful to Sasuke.

But…

It was _not enough_.

Sasuke's hatred blinded him. That was the reason why he'd charged towards Itachi the moment he saw him, without even stopping to reflect. That was why he'd accepted to leave Konoha to get trained by a paedophile in training.

Naruto was quite sure of it now… Itachi hated someone. Or at least, he'd _once_ hated someone. His hatred was different from Sasuke's; Itachi was cold, just as cold as winter was.

His _hatred_ was just as cold.

Naruto knew. He knew what hatred was, he could see it in the eyes of the villagers looking at him every single day. he could recognise it. It lingered.

Maybe it wasn't there anymore, but the traces were there. Itachi had felt, once, a deep, seething hatred, but of that hatred, nothing was left… not even rage, fury, or any other emotion.

Many had said that Itachi was a true genius.

He would know that blind hatred took you nowhere. He surely had hated differently than Sasuke had. Sasuke's hatred mixed with anger, so the moment he'd seen Itachi, all reason had left him, and he had attacked.

Sasuke's rage was boiling hot like fire, it consumed him deeply, but it always left him with ashes that would burn up into a dazzling fire again, if given the chance.

But Itachi's… his hatred was cold, and to be this cold, erasing the rage, it had to be a collected kind of hatred. So deep that he could still think rationally, so deep that he could fuel it with his mind, not with his heart.

Itachi's hatred was deeper than Sasuke's, way deeper.

Naruto straightened up and pulled his coat closer to his body as a cold wave of wind hit him. He had no time to spend standing in the middle of the street, really; he had to… well, he didn't know. He had to find something.

Anything that could help him understand.

He walked up to the biggest building of the estate, thinking that this one would be the best place to start with –big buildings meant something important, especially if they looked old and… regal.

Looking around as he walked, the blond teen realized that the Uchiha symbol was almost everywhere –on the walls, on the signs, everywhere.

He'd often wondered what the hell that symbol meant, but of course he couldn't just ask anybody about it.

Well, he could ask Itachi the next time he was around. Snickering –because thinking stupid things helped keeping the silence away from his heart– he finally reached what looked like the main house of the branch.

It was obviously an ancient house, oriental style, with sliding doors in bamboo wood, walls of a creamy colour, but two floors instead of just one. The main door was of a dark brown, the windows closed shut to not let light in.

The roof was low, of a rusty reddish colour, and there was a chimney on the top.

Sasuke had probably lived in this house, as he was from the main branch of the family (Naruto was quite sure Hyuuga and Uchiha had something in common, after all), and his suspicions were confirmed when he saw Sasuke's name carved on a plaque on the side of the door.

There were three other names carved right above Sasuke's, but only two were still readable, even if worn out. Naruto narrowed his eyes to read the two names in the dark. Uchiha Fugaku was the first, and Uchiha Mikoto the second.

The third name was scratched away so viciously there was a dent in the plaque. Naruto rationalised it had to have been Itachi's name.

For a moment, he pondered whether to enter or just leave, since it wasn't his house and it could count as trespassing, but the whole clan was dead and surely the last two living members didn't really care at all… right?

He had to do this.

'_To understand… I'm doing this to understand them,'_ he reminded himself.

So he pushed open the door, and removing his sandals, he stepped inside.

…–…–…–…

Sakura stared at the nurse in dismay, disheartened, and the woman glared back at her from behind the desk.

Splendid, so she'd really been too late –Naruto had been discharged from the hospital, and now was who knew where.

The pink haired girl mentally slapped herself; now, she'd have to wander around the village to see where Naruto was, since she didn't know where he lived in the first place.

Which reminded her just how much of a lousy friend she was.

Maybe she'd start from the Ichiraku Ramen stand and see if he was there… there was a good chance, since Naruto loved ramen…

"Sakura–san!"

Turning around in surprise, Sakura saw Lee approaching her with a huge smile on his face; her eyebrow twitched slightly at the sight, but then, her mother's voice echoed in her mind, and she froze. She hadn't been exactly nice with Lee, either.

Maybe things could change with him, too… even if his eyebrows still scared her…

With a nod to herself, Sakura smiled at Lee, who beamed back at her. "Hello, Lee".

"Sakura–san, you found time to visit Naruto–kun! I knew you would come around in the end!"

Although his words might have sounded accusing to Sakura, she took them for what they were –Lee was just expressing his happiness, and hadn't meant to insult Sakura or anything.

"I had some things to think about, and I wanted to tell Naruto I'm sorry for not coming to visit him earlier… but I was too late…" she sighed.

"Ah, right, I heard he was being discharged! His youthful fl–"

"Please, Lee… tune it down, will you? How troublesome…" it was only then that Sakura noticed Shikamaru and Kiba standing behind Lee, both looking vaguely disgruntled.

She hadn't known the two of them were friends, as before they used to ignore each other, especially in class, and with the placement in the teams, there weren't many chances for the two to speak, either.

As she wondered about that, Sakura realised the dirty looks the nurse was reserving to the three; this was kind of strange, since Lee had always been coddled by the nurses every time he had been at the hospital before.

Not sure about what to do, Sakura followed the three outside the hospital, whilst Lee continued rambling about training and the like; Kiba sighed and whistled, calling for Akamaru, who hadn't been allowed inside the building.

The dog yipped happily and jumped on his owner's head and Sakura couldn't help but notice that Akamaru looked slightly bigger than the last time she'd seen it.

"We're going to go look for Naruto–kun now," Lee told Sakura, attracting her attention again. "Do you… do you want to join us, Sakura–san?"

"No, thank you, I will search for him by myself," she replied with a wave, hurrying down the street.

Kiba blinked at Lee, then looked at her retreating back and frowned. "Well, at least she came around in the end… wait, did anyone tell her about Naruto?"

Shikamaru shrugged. It wasn't their place to, after all. "Too troublesome," he muttered.

With that, the three of them walked down the street in the opposite direction.

Sakura was sorely disappointed when she didn't find Naruto at the ramen shop when she got there; she had been sure he'd be there eating ramen non-stop to make up for the months he'd been without his special food…

Wondering if the owner of the shop knew where Naruto was, she politely attracted his attention.

He turned to her, smiling brightly, "you must be Naruto's teammate! He's always speaking about you… Sakura–san, is it? And about that other one, too…" his smile dimmed slightly, and Sakura felt a painful tug in her chest, but swallowed the lump in her throat and smiled.

She had to move on. She would not cry for Sasuke anymore –he didn't need tears.

"Yeah, I'm Sakura," she replied, clearing her throat. "Uh… I was wondering if you knew where Naruto was?"

"Naruto stopped by this morning for a ramen bowl –just one, and that's weird since he usually eats at least three," the man scratched his head worriedly. "I wonder if he's alright… I hope the rumours going around are not true…"

Sakura blinked, "Rumours?"

He shook his head. "Nothing to worry about, young lady. However, he mentioned something about the Uchiha district when he left, so maybe you'll find him around there".

Sakura nodded, puzzled, and left the stand. Naruto was going to the Uchiha district? What could he possibly want to do there, now that Sasuke was gone?

Of course Naruto missed Sasuke –they were friends, even if they bickered all the time, and at times Sakura had to admit of being jealous of the tight bond the two shared.

She'd been unfair to Naruto, thinking that she was the only one suffering for his betrayal. It was clear Naruto was hurt, too.

Determined to properly apologize to Naruto for everything and face her own guilt and faults, Sakura stomped down the street, face set, towards the place that had once been the most respected district of Konoha…

The Uchiha estates.

…–…–…–…

As Naruto made his way upstairs, the wood creaked under his feet, and with each step he was surrounded by clouds of dust.

He had not expected this… not at all.

Up until then, he had only visited Iruka–sensei's house, as he had not been invited by any of his friends before, but he was sure that a normal house was filled with personal belongings –even the Hokage office had a lot of photos.

Iruka had a few photos, Naruto remembered, one of his parents in a special place on his bedside table, some photos of himself when he'd been younger, one of his old Genin team and even one with Naruto during his last year of academy.

Then, of course, he had a lot of personal things scattered around, making the house feel warm and full of life; Naruto himself had a few belongings in his house, even if it felt empty and cold whenever he returned there.

He'd always thought that a real house with a real family would be filled with similar memorabilia…

But here…

There was nothing. Maybe Sasuke had gotten rid of a few things, because it wasn't possible that the Uchiha family didn't have anything precious to keep. It looked slightly unreal… they were a family, yet hadn't a single memory they wanted to keep?

What a waste.

Upstairs there was a long corridor with five of six closed doors. It was a big place, and maybe it had been a wonderful place to live, but right now, all Naruto could think about was the cold. Not just physical cold… there was a feeling of cold that had nothing to do with the non–working heating.

This didn't feel like 'home' at all.

If anything, this house had the same unwelcoming feeling of his own house, just bigger. This was a house where one didn't feel like they belonged in there… it felt as if, by dying, the Uchiha had taken away all the warmth and the life of the whole compound.

As if nobody could ever live here and hope to be happy.

Cold and empty and old. Abandoned.

Naruto pushed the first door open, suddenly feeling like he had just entered into a sanctuary; there was dust everywhere and everything looked untouched. There was an unmade futon on a side, a bookshelf filled with books and a pile of sheets with a pen on the desk on the other end of the room.

All in all, it felt like the owner had disappeared but would be coming back anytime… if not for the dust and the stale air.

With a shudder, Naruto closed the door again, not wanting to enter the room.

The next room was a surprise –it was trashed. Completely trashed. Broken things everywhere, the door of the fitted cupboard was smashed in pieces, the tatami floor, the clothes, the sheets, the blanket… there were many things that were unrecognisable now, broken in small fragments and scattered everywhere in the room, and everything was covered with dust, too.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. He could recognise pieces of scrolls and clothes, and wooden remains that looked like they had once been a desk and a chair.

At a closer glance, Naruto realised that there was nothing personal in that room either.

For the second time, Naruto wondered about who exactly the Uchiha had been. No photos, no personal objects, nothing.

What was going on behind the veil?

Feeling uneasy, Naruto closed the door and proceeded to open the next, and once again was utterly surprised by the sight.

The third room was obviously Sasuke's.

As opposite to the previous two, this one was rather clean –the layer of dust was thin, but it simply looked like a room that hadn't been used in months, not in years.

There were books scattered around, some open, some not, there was a kunai pouch and a few shuriken embedded in the wall, and a pile of scrolls in a corner that looked used and old, and there was a shirt thrown haphazardly on the back of a chair.

What made Naruto feel relieved was the set of photos on a small table close to the window. There were three photos, and Naruto recognised the first, because he owned a similar copy as well.

It was of Team7 together, with Kakashi–sensei in the back and Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto standing in the front.

The second photo was the Uchiha family, and Naruto stared at it intently, thinking that Sasuke's parents looked really magnificent there.

The mother was on the right side, with long, silky black hair and a small smile tugging at her lips. She looked beautiful. The father was standing on the opposite side, looking imposing and powerful, staring at the camera with a serious, composed face.

He had probably been a scary man when alive. Naruto shivered.

In the front there was a young–looking Itachi holding a cute, chubby Sasuke by his arm. Refusing to admit he had called Sasuke cute (no matter if it was a younger version of him), Naruto concentrated on his shock instead.

The shock was because in this photo both Itachi and Sasuke were smiling. Naruto blinked and analysed the photo intently, noticing how happy and carefree young Sasuke had looked; he was clinging to his brother's arm, affectionate, possessive. Proud.

And Itachi. Itachi still looked impenetrable, despite the smile. He had to have been at least twelve, so Sasuke was probably around five, and his black eyes were looking inexpressively at the camera, with the smile smoothening up his face.

To an uncaring eye, Itachi appeared at ease. Serene.

And yet, he did not look like he was twelve at all. Much more like an adult trapped into a kid's body. It didn't look right. Not at all.

The third photo was ripped in half, and the left side was missing; the right side was, again, a young Sasuke, and it didn't take a genius to see that the other part had probably been Itachi.

The real shock, though, was the slab of rock on the wall, right above the desk.

It was old and ruined, and it didn't belong to the room at all, looking like Sasuke had dragged and pushed it all the way from where it had originally been and into his bedroom. Moving closer to it, Naruto noticed it was crumbling on the corners.

The stone really didn't fit in the room, and Naruto leaned forwards to read what was written on it, progressively turning paler and paler as he did so.

Swallowing hard, Naruto quickly looked away.

So, that was it.

This was the reason why Sasuke had wanted to kill him. This was what Itachi had done to get his weapon, the Mangekyou Sharingan. Explained in brutal detail on that stone, one of the most well kept secrets.

Nobody had known exactly what Itachi had done to gain such a powerful asset, but now everything was clear.

As Naruto carefully read through the explanation on the stone, the secret of the Mangekyou Sharingan, he felt the cold in the room seep slowly into his chest, until the darkness around him started choking him.

Sasuke had tried to kill Naruto in order to obtain this weapon. He had decided to sacrifice his entire life, and even his friendship with Naruto, in order to gain this power.

Why?

Had Sasuke valued their friendship so little that he'd been able to give up on it so easily?

No, it couldn't be –to obtain the Mangekyou, the sacrifice had to be done willingly, but it had to be a real sacrifice… the feelings had to be real.

Sasuke had saved Naruto's life many times, and Naruto had saved Sasuke's just as many. They had slowly grown to be friends, real friends, and it wasn't fake. Sasuke hadn't done it simply for this purpose –he probably discovered the stone later on, and decided to give it a try.

Once again, something inside Naruto's chest tightened painfully.

He had wanted to understand, and now he did. Nothing mattered except killing Itachi, and he wouldn't stop, even if he had to accept Orochimaru's offered help.

He would never come back unless he gathered enough power to defeat his brother. He had given up too much to back down now.

Sasuke would never come back on his own.

If Naruto dragged Sasuke back, it would not be the same Sasuke he'd known until then, he would still be concentrated entirely on his revenge, and even if he were to obtain it… Naruto wasn't sure if Sasuke would ever heal.

When you give up on your whole life, even if you succeed, what's there for you afterwards?

The moment Naruto realised this, something inside him died painfully and silently.

For a long time, Naruto remained curled underneath the stone, deep in thought. He thought about Sasuke and about himself, about the promise he had made with Sakura, and about all his goals.

Yes, now he could understand Sasuke, but that didn't mean he'd allow him to go down that path.

Sasuke was his friend, and Naruto would drag him back anyway. He wasn't delusional, he knew that Sasuke would not allow him to help, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try again and again until he could get it through that stupid bastard's brain.

He couldn't let Sasuke down, he couldn't let him continue down that path, it would only ruin his life even more. Sasuke would not drown away, and if that bastard tried to, Naruto would jump and drag his sorry body out again.

Tears burned their way down his cheeks, but Naruto hastily wiped them away.

There was no time to cry. He had to go train.

…–…–…–…

Finally spotting the Uchiha estates, Sakura let out a shuddery breath and stilled.

She was familiar with that street, as she used to stalk Sasuke all the way from the academy to his house to ask him out, but she had never stepped into the compound.

Before the massacre, she would have been easily stopped in a place where every single person was an Uchiha, and afterwards, the place had been so desolate and depressing that she had never felt the need to go in there.

Besides, Sasuke wouldn't have liked that –he liked his privacy, after all. And yes, she felt bad knowing he lived in there all alone, but at the same time, it suited him, so she'd never given the fact a second thought.

Wondering where Naruto could be, and if he'd ended up trespassing into the private property, Sakura glanced around, unsure whether she should try to go in and search for the blond teen or not; the Uchiha estates looked gloomy, but the snow helped making the sight less heavy on the heart.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost missed the figure walking out from the estate, coming her way but passing by without even sparing her a glance.

Blinking in surprise, she realised that it was, indeed, Naruto.

"N–Naruto! Wait!" she called out to him, suddenly flooded with uncertainty.

This was it –the confrontation she was so afraid of. _'Damn it, Sakura, pull yourself together,'_ she growled inwardly, angered at her own fears.

What if Naruto thought she didn't deserve being forgiven? There was a breaking point for everybody, and maybe Naruto had reached his own…?

Naruto stopped walking and turned towards her, his face slightly downcast; blue eyes met with green ones and the teen sighed, feeling weary. He really didn't feel up to listening to Sakura's rants again, not now.

He'd been naïve and too weak, yes, but it still wasn't his fault. He hadn't understood Sasuke's reasons, but now that he did, he could grow strong and help him.

"Sakura… I know I promised you I would take Sasuke back," he spoke before she could utter a word, and let out a shaky breath, "I promised and this is a long time promise… I will take Sasuke back, don't worry. Even if I have to sacrifice my life as a ninja, I will do it".

With that, he jumped high and landed on a nearby roof, quickly making his way towards the training grounds and leaving Sakura staring at his retreating back in shock.

…–…–…–…

Jumping in the air, Naruto blocked a punch from one of his clones and attacked back with unusual fierceness, hitting the Kage Bunshin and watching it disappear in a cloud of smoke.

Landing down on the ground again, panting hard, Naruto grunted and wiped a trail of blood away from his chin, straightening up again; he had been training for hours, ever since leaving Sasuke's house, and he was close to five hours right now.

Still, it wasn't enough; it couldn't be enough, not if he continued training against simple Kage Bunshin. He needed a real opponent, something that could help him train… or he would never get better.

As he stepped forwards, preparing to summon more clones, his legs wobbled and he stopped, looking down at his hands with a frown. They were trembling slightly for the strain, and he grunted in annoyance.

How could he be this tired already? If he continued like that, he would never grow stronger.

The blond bit his lip hard. He had to do _something_; maybe he should steal the scroll he'd learned the Kage Bunshin jutsu and see if there was something else he could get from it…? Maybe it contained only prohibited techniques, but he'd gotten away with the Kage Bunshin already, maybe Tsunade would close one eye for him…

Unless she didn't find out until he was done, that is.

In fact, stealing scrolls from the Hokage tower was way too easy. He'd been able to get the scroll simply by distracting the Hokage, and he'd not been found until much later… had he been an enemy, he would have been running away from the village as soon as he got what he wanted, and the ANBU wouldn't have been able to get him.

He could do it again and do it better now, with the use of a Kage Bunshin clone and Henge. Really, what kind of security did they have at the Tower?

Holding the scroll in his injured hands, trying not to get blood stains on it, Naruto remembered the first time he'd done this, learning a move no one else could have.

Gritting his teeth, he thought about what he remembered of the Scroll. Apart the first technique, all the others had been Genjutsu, and he wasn't really apt at it. Illusions were not his forte.

Maybe he'd have to let the scroll be and stick with the things he was good at…

'_The Rasengan,'_ he thought after a moment.

Maybe he could perfect his control over that attack, since he had to use Kage Bunshin to accomplish it, and that would be a step in the right direction already.

Clearing his mind, weary and aware that he'd need to rest soon, he concentrated on the attack; Kage Bunshin wasted his chakra, so if he could learn to do Rasengan without them, it would be an improvement.

If he mastered the attack by relearning it step by step, maybe it'd do him well. He'd learned how to do it in a single week, while the one who had created it had managed to do it in three years, so it was possible for him to get it fully.

After all, he wasn't fuelled by revenge, and that made the difference to him.

With this in mind, he resumed his hellish training.

Four hours later, Naruto was still going at it. He had pushed his body to its limits, and the only thing that managed to keep him standing, even after over nine hours of training, was his high stamina.

His body was covered with scratches, wounds and violet spots that on a normal person would have taken days, if not weeks, to heal completely, but Kyuubi would help them heal in a single night. His clothes were ripped and dirty, and the snow around the area had either melted under the attacks or mixed with his blood.

A part of him knew that maybe he'd have to stop soon, or he would not be able to get back home like this, but the sight of the stone in Sasuke's room was carved in his mind, and every time he thought about stopping, that single memory would get him to continue his training again.

He was doing this not just for Sasuke, but for himself, too. He would offer Sasuke a proper rival, and by keeping matching strength he would show Sasuke that he didn't need Orochimaru.

"Naruto!"

Oh, again.

Naruto winced as a figure appeared in front of him, right between Naruto and his target, a giant stone; the Rasengan he'd been forming in one hand faltered and vanished, and Naruto felt the last bit of energy drain away from him with it. Falling on his knees, Naruto coughed and cursed, then looked up and his lips automatically stretched into a smile.

"Ah, S–Sakura," he murmured.

The pink haired kunoichi was staring at him with something akin to mortification, and he suddenly felt unsure.

"Naruto! W–what the hell do you think you're doing?" she yelled at him.

Naruto smiled sheepishly, and he would have scratched his head had he not been this tired. Sakura quickly kneeled at his side and took his hand, which was filled with cuts and half burned away.

Naruto looked at her in confusion –wasn't she supposed to be angry at him or something?

"I'm training," he answered, his tone indicating it should have been obvious. "Like this I won't get… Sasuke back. I need to work, so please, wait a bit more, ok?"

He stopped when he realised Sakura was crying, tears rolling down her cheeks.

The kunoichi couldn't believe that Naruto had been abusing his body so far simply to keep his promise to her, and the guilt hit her chest like a mallet, crushing her lungs and filling her eyes with tears.

"Naruto… don't do this to yourself, please!" she begged, clenching Naruto's hand in hers. "I was so stupid… Please, stop… It's unfair that you do all that work alone. I can get strong, too, and we can take Sasuke back together… don't hurt yourself like this!"

Naruto stared at her.

"I will heal," he said absentmindedly. His sight was a little blurred and now that he'd stopped moving, he could feel the strain of the many hours of training weight down on him. "I have Kyuubi, he will heal me…"

Sakura's entire body froze at the slip up. Slowly, all the pieces finally moved to fit together –Ino's hesitation, the way she had spoken about an attack against Naruto, a Sannin taking interest in Naruto, the small things that just didn't make sense, including the strange reaction back in the Wave Country, and even the reaction of the nurse at the hospital when Sakura had mentioned Naruto's name…

Sakura was an intelligent kunoichi, and she read her books.

Naruto had Kyuubi. There was only one Kyuubi that she'd known of, and that was the demon Yondaime had supposedly defeated over thirteen years before… right on Naruto's birthday.

Naruto was just like Gaara –he had a demon sealed within him.

Sakura had expected to be afraid, just like she had been with Gaara… but all she felt was guilt and sadness. She wiped away her tears again.

"Come on, Naruto, let's go" she said.

Slowly, she helped her teammate up, supporting his weight and passing one of his arms around her neck, moving towards the village at small, hesitant steps.

"It's not up to you to get Sasuke back," she continued talking wanting to keep Naruto's attention on her. "We can do it together. Sasuke is my teammate too, and if he's been stupid, then it's also my fault for not being able to stop him".

Naruto blinked in surprise.

"Naruto, I'll train too, so you will have to wait for me, ok?" she smiled softly at him, her voice firm while her eyes were still filled with tears.

On his part, Naruto was rather confused.

She had not yelled at him.

She had not accused him.

She was helping him, and when she heard Kyuubi's name, she hadn't flinched away. Maybe she didn't get it…?

"I can… I can do it. I have–"

"I heard about Kyuubi, Naruto. Really, do you think I'm stupid?" she gently bopped his head, but there was no anger in her tone that he could detect. "We… we are friends, after all. Are… are we, Naruto?" she hesitated, glancing at him.

Naruto was once again taken aback. He looked at her, at her worried eyes, at how she was holding him close, helping him walk. Then, the stretched smile turned warm and _real_.

Sakura considered him a friend. finally. And she was clearly sorry for having yelled at him, and even said she wanted to train, too, so they could keep that promise together.

He didn't really need to know anything else.

He smiled and leaned more into her, nodding. Sakura smiled at him, relieved and happy.

"Of course, Sakura–chan," he murmured, using the suffix with her name again.

The pink haired kunoichi dropped Naruto at his house, only leaving when he reassured her he'd be fine; he just needed a good night's sleep, after all. Still, she asked him not to wear himself out like that ever again, and her worry had Naruto feel warm and happy. She cared, too. Not the way he might have wanted before, but she was his friend now, and he was perfectly fine with it.

She'd even glared at him for saying the demon would heal him soon, and had simply slapped the back of his head. So, he had promised her he would behave.

As Sakura walked away from his house, waving at him, Naruto felt better than he'd been in a while. His friends had accepted him, he had come to understand the Uchiha a bit more, and now he had another goal to accomplish.

He was so tired that he stumbled through his apartment without even flicking the lights open, and without even bothering to undress himself, he fell onto the bed, unconscious the moment his head touched the pillow.

He was completely drained, after all.

His chakra reserves were empty because of his intense training, and his body was so tired that he fell into a dreamless sleep right away, comforting in its lack of nightmares.

That was why he didn't feel it when a small group of men walked up to his window and glanced inside in the dark.

"The Hokage tried not to let us know, but it was in vain. It was because of this monster that two intruders came and tried to destroy the village and killed Subaru!" one of the figures growled, hand tightening into a fist. "That is, unless it was truly a ruse and this demon was the one who killed him… after all, Subaru was an ANBU… nobody could have killed him like that… unless possessing inhuman powers!"

"He should have died years ago," a second figure growled. It was the only one dressed in Jounin clothes.

Had Naruto been awake, he would have probably noticed something was wrong with the way those men were acting, but unfortunately, he was dead asleep, and didn't even stir.

"This demon…he will soon lose control again, and then there will be no one to protect the village from his fury," the third man hissed. This one was wearing an ANBU attire, with the mask of a _Nezumi_. He had been the one spreading the news of _Usagi_–Subaru's death.

"That's why we're here. We'll be the village's heroes!" the first man replied, an ugly smirk on his face.

The Jounin nodded warily, looking through the window at the sleeping boy. He seemed far too pacific; it was just appearance, but they needed to kill him before anything could happen. Moving towards the door, the civilian opened it with ease –Naruto had been too worn out to lock it like he usually did.

The ANBU quickly flashed some seals, and a shiver trembled all around the apartment. Then, the Jounin moved forwards, flashing a different sort of hand seals, exhaling a giant ball of flames from his lips.

The flames reached through the door and were quick to spread from there to the rest of the room, setting on fire most of the wooden furniture, filing the apartment with thick, grey smoke.

The men closed the door and the ANBU completed his set of seals, binding the windows with his jutsu.

This way, the stupid demon would not be able to escape.

"Done," the Jounin murmured in satisfaction as they stared at the flames from outside. "Let's go now".

Without turning back they disappeared.

The flames continued growing, and Naruto was still deeply asleep, unaware of the danger.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** so you see that Sakura didn't really hate Naruto, but she needed some time to sort things out. She hasn't been a friend for Naruto now, but she will grow to be one in the future.

Itachi is a really confusing and deep chara. I had to 'study' him a lot through reading and rereading the parts of the manga where he appeared, and I could only barely brush a finger on his complexity. The reasons as to why he could have killed his whole family are many, I just took one that I felt more realistic. Of course, that was way before knowing the real reason.

So please keep in mind that this fic came long before any real hint about Itachi's true reason was revealed.

I hope you will like as it comes clear as the story goes on…

**Review, please**! Don't be shy! Make me happy, and ask if there is something you don't get.


	6. Parting Ways

**Edited:** 19/04/2011

**StarsOfYaoi****:** thank you for reviewing, especially since the last chapter was such a cliff-hanger… :D

When the shinobi use hand seals, they don't call the full animal name for each of them. You will find the translation at the end of the chapter. The jutsu belongs to me. Please do not steal it.

I am sorry for the short parts, but I needed them to fill into the plot.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapte****r 06: Parting Ways**

A loud whine had Kiba's ears twitch as he slept, but he still didn't wake up, simply shuffling around in bed.

The whine again, and Kiba pulled his covers up to his head in a vain attempt to quieten down the insistent noise.

The teen wasn't a light sleeper, as his growls at night could keep other people awake, too, but the Inuzuka family was used to having dogs around, and they could sleep through anything… usually.

Still, for some strange reason, Kiba couldn't tune down Akamaru's whining, and it bothered him.

The whimper continued on insistently, louder and louder, and the Inuzuka heir growled deep in his throat, trying to make his dog remember who was the alpha between them. During mating season, it was ok for Akamaru to start whining because he could not be let out at night –this was expected from a dog and Kiba usually put up earplugs; but in the middle of winter, this was _not_ allowed.

"Ok, you useless dog, you are going to feel the wrath of–" Kiba stopped dead in his tracks as he pulled away the covers and sat up on the bed.

Akamaru was now barking loudly, but he was not the only one. All the dogs of the Inuzuka family, which were quite a lot considering the many branches of the family and the number of members –at least a hundred dogs– were all howling or barking.

His anger forgotten, Kiba stood up, forcing the sleepiness away as he stared down at his companion, eyes filled with confusion. "Oi, Akamaru, what's wrong?"

A loud bark was his reply, followed by a short burst of low yaps and whines that to any other person not of the family would have seemed meaningless noises, but that to him sounded like an articulate speech of sorts.

The Inuzuka prided themselves to have ninja dogs that were not summons, like Kakashi's dogs were, so since their dogs couldn't talk, the Inuzuka had managed to find a way to communicate with their animals and understand them anyway.

Akamaru was trying to get Kiba to notice that there was a faint trace of smoke in the air, so light that even Kiba's enhanced senses couldn't pick it up.

Kiba couldn't feel it still, but by what his dog said, it was really faint and coming from the other end of the village; the dogs had picked it up and were trying to wake up the whole family, as if the smell was a trigger of some sort.

Kiba tilted his head to the side and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, but he still couldn't feel the scent Akamaru was barking about, though the windows were close and the many scents around clouded his senses.

It has to be said that the dogs in the Inuzuka family, other than receiving ninja training to fight together with their owners, were also trained to sense dangers that targeted the village, such as natural disasters or fires.

They had been able to sense the earthquake that had almost destroyed Konoha over twenty years before, and it was thanks to them that when the buildings had started shaking and part of the village had crumbled down, most of the civilians had been safe.

Akamaru barked again, a chorus of the older dogs joining him, and Kiba slipped his jumper on, running out of his room and down the corridor, meeting up with his mother and her dog, Shiromaru.

The woman frowned and turned to her son, fangs glinting in the dark. "It's strange, the dogs are reacting to a faint smell of fire but are unable to detect where it's coming from".

Usually during winter –although not in the presence of snow, but that was a rare eventuality in the Land of Fire anyway– it was normal for fires to start outside of the village, and the dogs had been trained to recognise by smell alone if the fire was coming from inside Konoha or outside, and if it would be a danger or not.

With such a faint smell, it was either really far away from Konoha, or destined to die out quickly, so this reaction from the dogs was quite weird.

"With all this snow, it's a wonder there is a fire in the first place," Kiba replied, yawning. His mother hummed under her breath, and Kiba walked outside of the house, looking around.

The Inuzuka lived in a small district, but thankfully all the neighbours were used to the noise of the dogs, so they would not be bothered by the cacophony of barking.

"Maybe it's handmade this time," Kiba's mother muttered, stifling a yawn as her husband, Kiba's father, joined them with his own dog, Kuromaru.

"Anyone pinpointing where the smell supposedly comes from?" the man asked as his dog sniffed around.

The three circled in the garden, calming down their dogs, who stopped barking loudly as they realised they had alerted their owners.

"It seems to come from somewhere in the village, but it's weird… the dogs cannot understand where from, exactly," Kiba's mother frowned, unsure about it.

It wasn't often that the dogs were not able to successfully tell where the smoke was coming from.

Kiba was about to close his eyes and sniff again, but his attention was caught by a group of flying moths that appeared a few feet away from him; he was no fan of bugs, but having an Aburame in his team had him able to become familiar with some species, and he recognized those insects at first sight. Glancing around with a frown, he saw the silent figure of Shino slipping out from the shadows, so he tapped Akamaru's back and moved towards his teammate.

"Shino?" he called out, confused as to what the bug–boy would be doing around there so late at night. "Did the dogs wake you up? You live on the other end of Konoha!"

The other teen was, just like always, wearing his customary sunglasses, but Kiba was sure he'd seen the eyes behind the glasses narrow slightly at his words.

Shino had never taken down those glasses around him, so he didn't have any idea of how his eyes were beneath that shield, and at times he still wondered how the other teen could even see at night or in the dark with them, but alas, this was just one of those secrets that were bound to remain so until the end of time.

Still, Kiba was one of the few who was trusted by an Aburame, and thus had been told how their eyes had grown terrible sensible to sunlight due to the Kikai bugs that were stored inside their bodies.

"My moths warned me that something is going on in Naruto's neighbourhood," he stated, snapping Kiba out from his train of thoughts.

"Naruto's neighbourhood?" Kiba frowned. He didn't even know where Naruto lived… "How come you know where he lives?"

"His apartment is close to a few wasps' nests, and I like to go watch them," was the placid answer.

Go figures.

"Wait, so you think there's a fire around Naruto's house?" Kiba asked, not sure what to do about this knowledge. "The dogs can't understand where that smell of smoke is coming from…"

Kiba's father moved to join them, whistling so that the dogs would calm down. "It might be nothing to worry about, but maybe you should go and have a look, Kiba. It might be just a prank, but the dogs are never this excited for a little fire…"

Sighing and shrugging, knowing there would be no more sleep until he caved in, Kiba nodded. "Whatever," he muttered. "Let's just make this quick".

Akamaru barked and bounced ahead, followed shortly by a much less active Kiba, and to his surprise, by a silent Shino as well.

The three walked down the streets in silence, with Kiba glancing at his teammate in wonder every now and then.

Even if they were in the same team, Shino was a little bit of a mystery to him; at first he'd thought he would be another Sasuke, afraid that working with him would be impossible, but after some time, Kiba had realised that Shino was just silent, not brooding, and didn't snob people like Sasuke instead did.

Shino was more of a watcher, silently taking in his surroundings and then blending in –he'd done well during their ambushing missions. After all, his family was made of spies and reconnaissance geniuses.

It took him a lot, but Kiba had grown to appreciate the silent company that the Aburame heir provided him, which was somewhat better than Hinata's shyness –at least they managed to work well together.

After a few turns, with Shino leading the way and Akamaru barking to make them hurry up, Kiba finally was able to catch a whiff of the smoke smell, and stilled. It was the horrid, smoky smell of fire, and it didn't feel like a prank–fire either –at least not the kind kids made up into a trash can.

The smell was heavy and it made his nose twitch, reminding him of burning wood… but he still couldn't understand where it was coming from.

All of sudden, Akamaru started barking loudly and sprinted forwards, and Kiba, feeling that something was indeed wrong, followed him right away.

Shino stood still for a moment, but when a moth passed lazily over his head, landing on his hair, he darted off to follow his teammate and his dog.

The smell was getting stronger as the two teens followed the dog down an unfamiliar pattern, and as they turned around a corner, both stilled in shock at what they found there, blood frozen in their veins.

Thick and dark smoke was pouring out from underneath a closed door of a nearby apartment on the other end of the street, flames visible from the closed windows signalling that there was a fire inside.

It was clear the apartment was burning from inside out, and the stench of smoke was now overwhelming to Kiba and Akamaru's noses.

The apartment's building was old and ruined, but it looked like there was people living inside that place… and that wasn't the worst, really.

There was a crowd of people watching.

Most of them were civilians, but some were also shinobi, and they were all forming a circle around the apartment, far enough not to be reached by the smoke, but close enough to be able to watch the flames dancing around behind the windowpanes.

Kiba was surprised to see that many of them wore satisfied expressions, or at least something akin to sinful pleasure in watching the fire grow, and it didn't fit well with him.

Usually, when a fire caught on a house, the village would group together to help the owner and stop the fire from spreading… yet why wasn't this happening now, too?

Why was no one helping?

Some shinobi were indeed looking cross at the sight, but the majority of the witnesses were actually just looking on with no expression whatsoever.

At his side, Shino stiffened. "Kiba, that's Naruto's apartment!" he hissed out, a trace of urgency and worry in his tone.

After all, watching a friend's house burning down was an unsettling sight for anyone.

"**What?**" Kiba's head snapped towards him in shock, the heavy stench of smoke almost choking his enhanced senses. Akamaru barked to attract his attention, and what he reported caused the dog master grow pale all at once. "Shino! Naruto is still _inside_!"

Even though most of his face was hidden away by his glasses and high collar, Kiba could almost feel the furious expression on Shino's face, aided by the strong wave of killer intent he expelled from his body, as the insects all over him moved restless around.

Kiba reacted quickly.

There was no time to lose, really –he had a feeling that no one of those present would help. After all, this was 'Kyuubi's house', right? They wouldn't help a demon.

Jumping up the stairs, Shino right behind him, Kiba reached the door in a hurry, barely aware of the disappointed glances of the civilians looking at the fire.

Some of them hurried away, ashamed of having been seen watching, while others grumbled and left as well, not wanting to be caught there if more aid were to arrive.

A few remained for a bit more, glaring at the two teens who were willing to help the demon, then shaking their heads at the unfairness of life, they also retreated.

Kiba pounded heavily on the door, coughing because of the smoke that was coming out from it, but it wouldn't _bulge_. It felt like heavy stone against his fist. Shino tried to punch the glass of the window but strangely enough, it wouldn't shatter either.

"Kiba, the bugs sense some sort of chakra binding spell on there," he reported; Kiba's eyes widened, realizing the fire had _not_ been an accident. Someone had planned it! It was an assassination attempt!

"We have to disperse the jutsu! Or Naruto will… damn it, why didn't he wake up? The smoke and the heat should have alerted him!" Kiba growled, baring his fangs.

"Something is wrong, his chakra pulse is irregular," getting himself under control again, Shino closed his eyes; using the bugs' senses, he hurriedly checked the inside of the burning apartment. They had to work fast. "His chakra reserves are very low, and he's sleeping still…"

Kiba's eyes hardened up. "Then it's up to us! Shino, go call the Hokage! Hurry up!"

Shino nodded, "will you be ok by yourself?" he asked.

When Kiba nodded at him, Shino's shoulders relaxed and he moved down the street, disappearing behind a rooftop in two jumps. Kiba stared at his retreating back with a raised eyebrow, feeling the corner of his lips twitch upwards at the clear concern in the other teen's voice before resuming his pounding on the door.

If this was an illusion technique, a simple 'Kai' would have sufficed to break the jutsu, but it didn't take long for Kiba to realise that this was actually a high levelled binding jutsu meant to seal all the windows and the doors of the apartment.

It created a tight space completely shut from the outside, enough to keep whoever was inside from escaping, and making so anybody outside would notice what was happening only too late.

Hopefully, though, this was not too late yet.

Someone had tried to trap Naruto in his house like a mouse, to die out without a way out…

Trying to find a solution, Kiba snapped his fingers as he was reminded of a jutsu Kurenai–sense had taught them that worked well with resistant techniques such as the one blocking off Naruto's apartment.

'Gotta thank Kurenai–sense for this one!' he thought, concentrating. His hands quickly flashed into a series of hand seals, trying to focus his chakra correctly as he did so, as releasing techniques weren't exactly his favourite subject.

"_Ino, Tatsu, U, No, Mi, Uma, I, Tora_–" the chakra flared, and he closed his eyes. "Kai: Kara no Jutsu!"

A yellow flash exploded from his joint hands and hit against the door, expanding from the spot to the whole apartment like a wave or a ripple; away from Kiba's eyes, the ripple reached the other end of the building, encompassing the whole premises and returning bouncing back, changing its colour to a dark brown.

The moment the ripple returned towards Kiba, it vanished into the door and disappeared.

Kiba blinked and with a twist, kicked the door; this time it slammed open without resistance at all.

A huge cloud of smoke enveloped Kiba's frame instantly, and he coughed and ducked low, entering the apartment without wasting a second; stepping inside, he quickly moved to the closest window and crashed it open, so the smoke would get out faster.

He wasn't going to have much time to get Naruto out before the whole place collapsed on them, giving the state of the apartment and the way the already crumbling walls looked.

'_Damn__ it,'_ he cursed inwardly as he made his way into the burning hell.

…–…–…–…

Shino was utterly silent as he ran through the streets of Konoha, passing by like a shadow.

Even his steps were quiet as he was used to being noiseless, a quality that a shinobi valued more than anything else; the bug wielder sprinted towards the Hokage tower as quickly as he could, attention focused only on his speed.

'_Naruto is quite unlucky,'_ he thought at one point, as he jumped from a tree to a rooftop.

And he truly was; Shino could understand, even if only partly, what Naruto had gone through during his childhood, and he was one of the few who could say that. Having bugs living inside his body, feeding off his chakra, made the Aburame different from other shinobi. As such, Shino himself had been shunned by his peers for most of his life for being a freak. This was, of course, not even half of what Naruto had to stand for being the Kyuubi's container, but at least Shino understood him more than many others.

At least, despite having to wait until team placement to find friends outside of his own family (which didn't consist in older shinobi, but actually people his age), Shino had a family that could stay at his side.

Naruto had always been alone.

When his Kikai started buzzing, disturbed by the spikes of chakra fizzling on his skin, Shino forced himself to calm down and control his rage. He could not understand just how strong a person's hatred could be to make them try to burn someone alive.

No matter what, he could not understand, and more than that, he could not condone.

Differently from the Aburame, who had the ultimate decision whether to allow the bugs to reside inside their bodies as soon as their parents deemed them old enough (usually from five to seven years old), Naruto didn't ask to be the container of a demon.

And as surely as that, Naruto was not the Kyuubi, either. He hadn't had control over the events that caused the Yondaime to die to seal the Fox within him.

If a teen his age could understand that, how could others be so blind as not to see all of this?

It wasn't fair.

Despite his cold exterior, and his apparent emotionless expression, on the inside Shino was burning with rage. It had taken him a while to see in Naruto more than a simple idiot blond who talked too much, and now that they were friends, he took pride in wanting to help him out.

"Aburame–kun?"

Shino halted in mid-step and twisted around, coming to meet a pair of chocolate brown eyes belonging to his former sensei at the academy –Umino Iruka.

The man had been away from the village for a while, sent on a seven–days mission and had apparently just gotten back.

Which, as a side note, meant he didn't know anything about Naruto's recent attack.

The man was standing in the middle of the street, looking unscathed but exhausted, and was holding a scroll in one hand; it was easy to forget that he was still a Chuunin of Konoha, and that at times he had to take on low–levelled missions to help with his meagre academy teacher salary.

Iruka–sensei was one of the few adults in Konoha that truly cared for Naruto's life, and in his haste to get to the Hokage, Shino still had enough presence of spirit to stop and tell the man about the blond teen's current situation.

He would surely be able to help Kiba.

"Iruka–sensei… someone tried to burn down Naruto's apartment with Naruto inside it. Kiba is there trying to get him out, but he might need help. I'm going to the Hokage now," he urged the man with a steely voice.

That said, he bowed slightly and without paying any more attention to the Chuunin, he jumped high and continued on his way to the Hokage Tower, feeling Iruka's chakra levels spike up and disappear in the distance.

A few minutes later, Shino slammed the door of the Hokage office open, having ignored the guards at both sides of the door.

"Hokage–sama!"

With everything Naruto told his friends about the woman, Shino had expected to find her asleep on a pile of paperwork, perhaps with a few bottles of sake emptied at her feet, but he actually found her awake and staring with mournful eyes down at a photo in her hands.

"Hm?" Tsunade looked up at him, frowning and placing the photo face–down on the desk. "You are the Aburame boy, am I right? What are you doing here at this hour?"

"Tsunade–sama, someone set Naruto's apartment on fire. My bugs detected Naruto's chakra inside, so while Kiba remained there to get him out, I came here to call for reinforcements. Iruka–sensei is on the way as well," he added as a second thought.

The Godaime Hokage's face turned extremely pale all of sudden, one of her hands coming to rest on the table, almost as if to keep herself from stumbling on the floor, eyes wide in shock.

Someone had done… _what_?

"Let's go," she ordered, straightening up with a glare, and Shino could see with his own eyes why this woman had made it into the Hokage position.

…–…–…–…

Well, Kiba wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not, but there wasn't much in the apartment at risk of being burned away.

Not that it was a consolation of anything, of course.

Kiba had never been at Naruto's house before, he had never cared enough for him to actually find out where the blond teen lived, after all… but now that he considered himself Naruto's friend, he felt abashed at his own uncaring attitude.

Friends needed to stick together, right?

As he hurried through the small apartment, Kiba felt guilty; if his own house was set on fire, there were many things that he would regret losing to the flames, while in here… there was barely anything that spoke of Naruto in there.

Quickly dispelling this train of thoughts, he ran towards the small bathroom, eyes watering from the smoke and the absurd heat.

On his left, he spotted a sink and he downed onto it, opening the water jet and splashing his hair under the cold water before removing his shirt and soaking it as well. He ripped part of the drenched cloth and wrapped it around his mouth and nose, breathing through it.

His lungs hurt less, now.

He ripped another piece of his shirt and put on the rest, running to the only other room, finding it hard to see through the smoke now that it filled the room from floor to ceiling.

Coughing through the wet cloth, Kiba focused his eyes on a futon and on Naruto deeply asleep on it; he kneeled at his friend's side, testing his wrist and feeling his heart beating erratically under his fingertips.

Naruto's breathing was faint and shallow, and he looked actually terrible… and not just because of the smoke he was inhaling.

There were many cuts and ugly bruises and scratches visible on his arms and face, some of them looking fainter and fainter the more Kiba stared at them. Ah, that was why Naruto's chakra was currently so low that he couldn't wake up –he had probably trained all day, and now he was sleeping deeply, waiting for Kyuubi to heal his wounds.

It was eerie how easy it was to accept the fact that his friend had an ancient demon within that helped him heal. Kiba supposed that as a shinobi, and after seeing Gaara and other ugly things, a simple demon inside a seal wasn't much of a shock.

That, or he just didn't give a damn.

Naruto didn't look like he was going to wake up anytime soon, especially since he'd probably inhaled a lot of smoke already…

Hearing Akamaru bark outside as an encouragement, Kiba reached out and wrapped the second wet handkerchief around Naruto's face, then he lifted the boy up on his shoulders and made his way out. Despite looking so buff under that orange jumper, Naruto was actually not as heavy as Kiba had expected, but still heavy enough to make him grunt out.

Gritting his teeth in determination, Kiba held on Naruto's unresponsive body and moved out of the room, keeping both himself and Naruto away from the fire and heading towards the front room.

Some of the ceiling crumbled down at his left side, causing Kiba to jump away quickly to avoid the fire and the slivers flying everywhere. "Shi–"

He heard a crashing sound from the general direction where he thought the bathroom was and realised the ceiling had already fallen down on there.

As he passed by, he threw a glance at the only table in the apartment, now burning easily through the flames, and noticed that on it there were two framed photos, quickly being eaten away by the fire as well.

On the left one, the Inuzuka could still make out Naruto's team.

Grimly he stared as Sasuke's face was quickly burned away, disappearing into the flames first; shaking his head, Kiba quickly ran out of the apartment, not waiting until the rest of the photo was destroyed. Shit.

As if this was some sort of signal, the moment he was out the whole structure collapsed down, and he tripped, colliding with the railing in front of the house as it gave away under his weight, sending him flying down.

He was caught in midair by a pair of strong arms that lowered him safely on the ground. Still clutching Naruto's body protectively against his own, Kiba looked up, meeting the worried, pale face of Iruka–sensei.

"Kiba–kun!" Iruka gasped, checking the dog user to see if he was ok.

Suddenly flooded by relief at seeing a reliable aid, Kiba ripped the cloth away from his mouth and took greedy gulps of fresh air. "I'm fine, sensei, please check Naruto now!" he rasped out, finally releasing his hold on the blond and lowering him on the ground, worried at the paleness of his friend's face.

'_You'd better__ be fine, loud mouth, or I swear I'll come down to hell and take you back,'_ he growled in his mind as Iruka checked the blond boy's pulse.

With his instincts still flaring up out of anger, Kiba felt his protectiveness over someone who basically belonged to his pack grow. He'd hunt down the responsible for this and–

"He seems to have breathed a lot of smoke, but he's healing himself already," Iruka sighed in relief.

Almost as soon as the words made it past his mouth, Iruka bit his lips and berated himself for having slipped so badly. He blamed it on his fatigue and on the worry Shino's words had caused him.

Now, Kiba might start asking questions that he could not answer…

Busying himself with staring at Naruto's unconscious body, Iruka noticed all the cuts and bruises already fading from his skin; Naruto was training really hard, and maybe he'd exhausted so much of his chakra that he hadn't been able to wake up…

"Well, that's a relief, then," Kiba grunted, falling down next to the other two shinobi and grabbed his hair, ruffling it to get the soot away from it.

He was still angry –relieved by the fact that Naruto was fine, but still angry. He couldn't believe that nobody had wanted to help at all… if Akamaru and the other dogs hadn't alerted him, then…

"Damn it!" he yelled, attracting Iruka's attention. "I can't believe nobody tried to help! Are they so fucking blind that they can't see that Naruto is not the demon? Shit! Naruto is Naruto!" he gritted his teeth again, punching the ground hard.

Akamaru whined, covering his head within his paws.

"Language, Kiba," Iruka said automatically… then his brain registered Kiba's words and paled.

There was no mistaking of what Kiba had just said. The teen knew about Naruto's… condition.

"How… when did you…" he didn't even realise his grip on Naruto's shoulders had tightened. When had it happened? Was Kiba the only one knowing, or did the others know, too?

Blue eyes fluttered open tiredly as Naruto was forced out of his unconsciousness by a strong grip around his shoulders; blinking and wondering what was going on, Naruto looked up and focused on the face of his favourite sensei holding him. at first Naruto was simply happy to see the man, but as he resurfaced from sleep completely, he frowned –Iruka shouldn't have been in the village and.. he didn't feel all that well.

Something was wrong –he felt cold and hot at the same time, his body hurt and his lungs were burning.

And more importantly, why was he staring up at the sky instead of the ceiling of his bedroom?

Iruka, not having noticed Naruto was slowly waking up, was lost thinking about all the things that had happened while he'd been out of the village; shocked that so much had been going on in the few days he'd been gone, at least he was reassured that Naruto was still alive.

Barely, but alive. Once again.

"Iruka–sensei… please… let go…" surprised by the sudden voice, Iruka almost dropped Naruto on the ground. Akamaru yipped and licked the teen's fingers.

"Naruto! How are you feeling?"

Naruto groaned and pushed himself up to a sitting position, rubbing his eyes. "Why is my throat so dry? What the hell happened?" shaking his head to clear it, Naruto coughed, feeling lightheaded. His lungs were still burning, and his nostrils were filled with a horrible stench of burning wood.

Looking up, he was absolutely surprised to see the remains of his house burning up right in front of him. "Hey, my house!" he cried in disbelief.

He coughed again, but with every cough his lungs were burning less and less, and it was easier to breath after a few minutes. He was still rather tired, but with a clearer mind, he could at least focus on the situation at hand. The happiness he'd felt when looking at Iruka's face was dimmed by the shock of seeing his apartment on fire.

It wasn't fair –what the hell had happened? His house was crumbling down right there, and with it, everything Naruto owned –even if it wasn't much, it was still everything he had.

"We found your house like this with you inside, Naruto," Kiba whispered, delicately deciding to address the fact that the fire had been started by someone later. Akamaru whined and nudged Naruto's hand with his nose in an attempt to comfort the blond teen.

The teen stared at his house, stunned. He'd just lost the place he'd been living into ever since leaving the orphanage, and it had happened so suddenly he didn't know what to feel. Yes, he hadn't liked the house much, but it was still his house, after all.

And a small part of his brain knew what Kiba hadn't mentioned –that the fire had been started by someone. There was no other explanation possible, since Naruto was sure the fire couldn't have started all on its own.

He had expected to feel anger, or rage, or pain, but in truth, he felt just a vague annoyance. Maybe he was developing some sort of immunity to the hatred of the villagers, or maybe the amount of pain he'd been subjected under Tsukiyomi made him realise that nothing the people of Konoha could do would hurt him anymore…

It was a sobering thought nonetheless.

"Naruto!"

He turned around and watched as Tsunade ran towards him, followed by a silent shadow that Naruto recognised as Shino; the Hokage dropped on her knees at his side and quickly did a diagnostic jutsu, breathing out in relief when the results were negative –Naruto was fine.

"My house…" Naruto pointed at the burning apartment, vaguely wondering where he'd go now.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. Maybe Naruto was physically fine, but mentally? He'd been subjected to stress after stress in the last few days, and now…

She couldn't accept this attitude of the Konoha citizens anymore. Someone would pay.

For sure.

…–…–…–…

Jiraiya lowered his head and sighed, trying to ignore Tsunade who was sitting right in front of him.

Every time Naruto had needed him, he had not been there… at least he'd been doing real research on Akatsuki instead of peeping into an onsen, not that it was much of a consolation.

He'd returned to the village in the early morning, around five AM, only to find that Naruto's apartment had been burned down by some wannabe arsonist, and now the blond Jinchuuriki was sleeping in the Hokage Tower, guarded by a grim looking Iruka and a worried Shizune.

Naruto had said he didn't need to have those two breathing on his neck, but with Iruka sternly refusing to leave his side, he had relented, too tired to discuss with his former teacher.

After asking the Inuzuka heir and the Aburame heir what had happened, Jiraiya had listened to their report with narrowed eyes; someone had placed a binding jutsu on the house to prevent anybody from finding out until it was too late, and once again, Naruto had been the one to suffer.

Naruto had trained by himself all day, which explained why he hadn't even noticed as the house burned around him.

This was actually why Jiraiya was facing Tsunade. Naruto couldn't just spend a day wasting his chakra around without supervision. It wasn't acceptable. And with the village in an uproar, becoming more daring every day passing by, Jiraiya didn't feel like Naruto was safe in Konoha anymore.

If anything, the sennin had expected Akatsuki could attack, but he had not thought Konoha's own shinobi would turn their back on Naruto like this.

This was what had chased Jiraiya away from the village the first time. Their refusal to see the truth beneath the surface.

Finally looking up, the toad sennin fought a silent battle against Tsunade's stern glare; the woman knew what he wanted to do, but wasn't willing to let Naruto go. After all, Tsunade had allowed her loved ones to leave her side twice, and both times they had returned dead

She didn't want Naruto to be the third on that list.

In such a short time, both Sannin had come to care for that hyperactive ninja that ran around claiming he would become the greatest Hokage ever, and that bond was so strong they could barely stand it. They cared for Naruto because he had forced them to open up and believe in him.

Jiraiya and Tsunade had never planned to care for someone ever again. Caring only brought hurt and pain in the end, they knew this from experience.

The Legendary Sucker had travelled far, only concentrating on bets and money and sake, and the toad sennin had retired into his shell, trying to forget and hide behind a mask of a perverted old man.

Tsunade loved her apprentice Shizune dearly, even though at first she had accepted to train her only out of obligation towards someone else (not to mention Sakura begging her to be trained as her apprentice as well, as the pink haired kunoichi had made it clear the previous day) but it was a different _love_ altogether.

Shizune had become part of Tsunade's life before, and she had never tried to change Tsunade or make her face her past..

Naruto had. And that was why he was so important for the Godaime Hokage. He was the emblem of all the changes the woman had gone through, accepting her past and her losses.

Jiraiya, too, had changed since meeting Naruto. Both of them had failed many times in their past, and had ran away, refusing to face their mistakes, but thanks to that loudmouthed ninja, they had repented and started healing.

They hadn't expected to care for him and want the best for him, almost as if they were his parents. Tsunade and Jiraiya both knew they would never regret it

"There is no other way, Tsunade, and you know it," he stared at her, all traces of his carefree attitude gone from his face. For a moment he looked way older than he really was, and that change reflected in Tsunade's eyes as well.

"But… is it _really_ necessary?" she knew it was but…

"Tsunade, he needs to leave, at least for a while. I don't think it would be good for him to stay after that. He has friends, but he _can't_ stay. I will bring him to travel with me, and I will train him so he will have a purpose again. I will take care of him and help him advance instead of watching him self destruct".

The Godaime Hokage sighed.

"Besides," Jiraiya continued without allowing her a moment to counter his words, "you will be able to find who burned down his house and punish them. If Naruto remained here, he would never allow you to do that. It'll serve as example to the rest of the civilians and shinobi who think they are above the Third's law".

Tsunade's eyes hardened in anger. Jiraiya was right. Naruto needed to go away.

It was for the best.

"You'll take care of him, will you?" she asked biting her lips. She hated being emotional –despite the horrible loss of control she had while fighting against Orochimaru, she was usually one for a steely control over her emotions… but when it came down to Naruto, she always had a hard time controlling herself.

Her little adopted brother was going through a lot, but was still walking with his head held up high.

"You know the answer to this question," he replied, equally stern. "He looks so much like _him_… and yet, they are completely different…"

"You also know I'll break your ribs if you turn him into a freaky pervert, right Jiraiya?" Tsunade stared at him, lips twitching upwards for a moment. But her eyes were holding another kind of threat. _'Let him be harmed by anything or anyone, and I will personally castrate you with my bare hands'_.

Jiraiya shuddered at both threats. He couldn't decide which one was worst.

"I know, Tsunade–hime," he smirked back. He was dead serious. He would die before he let someone, especially Akatsuki, hurt Naruto.

So, it was settled. Naruto would join Jiraiya on a trip for the following three years.

…–…–…–…

"Where are we going to go, then?"

Well, this wasn't really what Jiraiya had expected at all from Naruto.

Maybe, he would have expected the teen to jump up and down laughing, commenting how he would definitely love to join Jiraiya on a three–years trip, as long as the Ero–sennin promised to train him.

Or maybe, he would have expected Naruto to refuse bluntly, saying he didn't want to leave, and that he would get strong on his own instead.

This was… somewhere in the middle, really, but too calm to be coming from Naruto.

Naruto didn't exactly look exhilarated to leave, but he did look relieved, perhaps pleased, and to a certain extent, the perverted sennin could understand. And yet, he hadn't reacted as Jiraiya had expected him to –this wasn't the Naruto he knew.

For a moment Jiraiya was afraid that finally, what had continued happening had taken its toll on the blond and tamed his spirit. This didn't sit well with the Sennin

Strengthening his resolve, Jiraiya decided to bring the old Naruto back.

"Anywhere you want, Naruto, unless you've been there already," Jiraiya replied, smiling. "I will dedicate myself to train you. Akatsuki's last attempt to catch you was… somewhat unexpected, but I carefully tested my sources and I can safely say, this time, they will not attack for the next few years".

Naruto hummed, nodding softly. "Ok, then it's settled," he stated, looking satisfied. "I need to get stronger… and get Sasuke back," he added after a moment.

Jiraiya nodded, although deep in his heart, he had already given up on the last of the Uchiha. Just like he had once given up on Orochimaru, he felt that young Sasuke would not accept to be dragged back to Konoha.

And yet, if that was part of what Jiraiya needed to acknowledge for Naruto's sake, then so be it. He sounded so sure of himself, Jiraiya wanted to believe in him, too. Of course, Jiraiya had no knowledge that Naruto was already aware that Sasuke would resist being dragged back, but the blond didn't mind the challenge at all.

Besides, he wasn't doing it for the sake of bringing Sasuke back –he'd promised himself and Sakura that Sasuke would come back, willingly or not. Not to mention Naruto didn't want to let his teammate drown in that self–appointed fate.

Still, aware of Naruto's real intentions or not, Jiraiya still wanted to believe that even if he hadn't managed to get Orochimaru back, maybe Naruto, against all odds, would succeed.

"Say, what about a visit to Sunagakure first?" the pervert sennin offered with a bright smile.

Naruto's eyes lit up with happiness, and Jiraiya was inwardly proud of himself. Yes, this was more like the Naruto he knew.

"We're going to see Gaara?" Naruto looked up at the older man for confirmation.

"Yeah, sure," was the amused reply.

Naruto beamed at his new sensei and nodded in thanks. He knew that Jiraiya was trying his hardest to make him happy, and Naruto was grateful for the offer. He knew that despite the spying at the hot springs and the perverted books, the man really cared.

Even though he guessed the man thought Naruto was sad. He wasn't. Realising that he was finally stronger than whatever the villagers threw at him was really a boost to Naruto's self, and his less boisterous attitude was simply a reflection of his dedication to his training.

He simply wanted to get strong enough to get Sasuke back and show his village what he was made of.

On the matter of visiting Gaara, he as truly happy about that. Gaara was one of the people Naruto never had time to properly talk with, and since the two shared something that no one else could fully understand, Naruto wanted to show the other teen that he wanted them to be friends.

"_I live to love myself,"_ Gaara had said to him. _"And myself alone"._

Naruto understood, but did not share this point of view.

Unfortunately for the Sand–nin, Gaara never had a single friend, and while Naruto now had people backing him up, he was afraid that for Gaara things hadn't truly changed.

But he was determined to show the other Jinchuuriki that he was a friend, and that he cared.

Offering the white haired old man with another bright smile, Naruto stood up from his seat and looked out of the window, where the Hokage Mountain was. With a determined smirk, he offered the silent head of Yondaime a closed fist.

'_Look at me, __hero of Konoha,'_ he thought. _'No matter the hatred. No matter the pain your action caused me to feel… I will become strong. Stronger than you'._

_strong'_.

The Ero–sennin noticed the gesture and Naruto's smirk and felt a painful twinge in his chest. One day, he reassured himself. One day, I will tell you…

"Come on you lazy bum, I believe you have to say goodbye to a few people…" he decided to say instead.

Naruto frowned and thought about it. He didn't want to say goodbye. He wasn't going away forever… and he hated goodbyes. Still, he was going to leave for over three years, so maybe they deserved to know… and yet…

"Maybe we should just leave!" he laughed sheepishly.

It was better to just concentrate on his training, and not get depressed with goodbyes…

"Naruto, don't be stubborn… it will be a while before you can see your friends again and they deserve one last chance to talk with you, ne?"

Naruto pouted, but had to admit that the old pervert was actually right. His friends cared, and would probably resent him if he left without telling them… besides, he really did want to see them one last time…

"Come on, Naruto, I called them already and they're waiting for you outside… maybe you should go down before they come up and skin you alive, hmm?"

"_What?_"

…

Peering out of the window, Naruto grunted at the older man.

They were _really_ down there.

Naruto ran out of the Hokage tower, sheepishly smiling at his friends crowded there to see him go.

"How troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, hands in his pockets as he glared at his friend. His scowling grimace brought a smile on most of the other teens' faces, and even Neji's lips twitched upwards.

"Naruto–kun… I hope you will take care…" Hinata blushed slightly at her crush, fidgeting and tapping her fingers together. _'If you are going to become strong, Naruto–kun, I will as well!'_

Not that she had the courage to say that loudly.

Neji inwardly raised one eyebrow at his cousin's antics and sighed. Finally able to let go of his rancorous feelings without having to deny his protectiveness towards Hinata, Neji was going to see that nobody could hurt her again.

He finally had a family again, and it was all thanks to Naruto, and for that, the blond had all of Neji's respect.

"When you get back, I am going to challenge you to a fight, Naruto," he told the younger teen. "And I will win this time," he added confidently.

Naruto flashed him a grin.

Lee started crying and babbling about the flame of youth once again as the blond waved at the rest of his friends, lastly looking at Sakura.

The pink haired girl locked eyes with Naruto for a moment, serious and collected, then she smiled brightly. "Take your time, Naruto. When you get back, I will be strong as well," she assured him.

Naruto nodded, trusting her now that she had asked to be Tsunade's apprentice.

He was glad he had them. Thanks to their support, he had been able to face all his troubles and grow stronger because of that. They had accepted him, and he would forever be grateful to them.

"You just wait and see!" he smiled at them, feeling determined and sure of himself.

With the sun shining above him, the excitement of a new journey ahead of him and the prospect of meeting with Gaara, Naruto was positive that luck was finally at his side. gone were the haunted nightmares, gone was the feeling of not being good enough…

The glass was looking half–full again.

Shaking his head, glancing up again at the stone faces of the four Hokage staring down at him, he suddenly felt like he could accomplish anything and everything.

"I am going to grow strong, and once Sasuke is back, I will accompish my dream, and become the new Hokage," he stated clearly. He didn't yell it, he didn't bounce around stupidly as he said it. His tone was one of finality, and his friends nodded at him.

He had friends. He had a goal again. He could understand, and he was going to show it to the world.

'_That's my way of ninja'_ he finished inwardly with a smile.

And that was simply the truth.

Iruka hugged him (much to the blond boy's dismay, who felt his cheeks go red for embarrassment as Kiba snickered, pointing at him), then his friends wished him good luck for the training. A few adults were there too, Tsunade and Shizune and even Ebisu, with his back against the wall and a sour expression; Naruto was sure that he wasn't there because he wanted to but simply because Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon were there, but it was good anyway.

A certain copy–nin was hiding inside a tree just above the teens, uneasy about going down to say goodbye, since he still wasn't used to displaying emotions in public, but after all, Naruto meant a lot to him… like Obito, like Rin.

This was his student leaving, and yet he didn't move.

As he was still wondering whether to join the others or not, Naruto turned around and glanced up at the tree, smiling cheekily at Kakashi, who blinked in surprise and then returned the smile, even though his mask hid it.

'_Come back stronger, Naruto,'_ he silently told the teen.

"Let's go, Ero–sennin!" Naruto called out, receiving a punch on his head for his nickname.

"I told you to stop calling me that, stupid kid," Jiraiya grumbled, following him down the street.

With a smile, Naruto waved at his friends and nodded to himself. It hadn't gone too badly, in the end, not as sad as he'd thought it would be; besides, Lee's crying was somewhat amusing.

Then they were off.

…–…–…–…

Shikamaru grunted, then yawned.

His yawn continued for a long time, until Neji thought that his jaw would just fall off from the strain, then he slumped down on the grass as if his body had lost all energy to keep upright, completely ignoring the white eyed teen who was grimacing down at him.

"You are _really_ hopeless you know?" Neji muttered, fighting the desire to roll his eyes.

Caught on an impulse, the Hyuuga had followed the lazy genius up to his usual cloud–gazing spot, and both had kept completely silent as they walked, lost in their thoughts.

Neji wasn't sure why he'd bothered going with Shikamaru –it wasn't like the two of them had anything in common other their friendship with Naruto. They weren't even in the same team!

"It will be quieter now, with Naruto gone," Shikamaru commented without looking at Neji, instead gazing up at the sky while his fingers played with the grass under his body.

It was a calm day. Silent and calm.

Neji felt some sort of annoyance at Shikamaru speaking like that, but didn't show it as he flopped on the grass with practiced grace, peering at his companion with darkened eyes.

"It might do him good," Shikamaru continued without bothering to see if Neji was listening or not. "I think I will use this time to check on who burned down his house, and see that they are properly punished, too. Care to help?"

"You sure are attached to Naruto," Neji muttered in reply, surprised that the lazy teen would do anything that required moving on his own.

He wasn't sure why, but his tone had expressed some sort of accuse towards Shikamaru, and Neji wasn't sure why. If anything, he was glad Naruto had so many people supporting him.

"Naruto is one of my first friends," Shikamaru replied, a tilt of his lips showing his amusement. "Of course I care for him," he added.

For a moment, his gaze grew distant, as he recalled his very first meeting with that loudmouth. It was a dear memory to him, and one he wasn't ready to share with anyone, but it made him smile warmly.

Then, as his smile twisted into a smirk, Shikamaru gently nudged Neji's arm. "What is it to you? Are you perhaps jealous and crushing on Naruto?"

Neji flushed crimson –quite an achievement for the laziest teen in town– and shook his head, looking away in shame. Shikamaru felt satisfied, wondering idly if he could get anything out of the Hyuuga that he could use as blackmailing material.

"I–I am not jealous, nor… nor crushing on Naruto," he denied fervently, then narrowed his white eyes, contemplating something. "Are you?"

Shikamaru's smirk widened, shaking his head softly. He really had to admit that for being a prodigy, the Hyuuga surely didn't know where to look.

"No, you troublesome Hyuuga, I have no interest in Naruto whatsoever," he replied.

His blunt, honest answer confused Neji further, not sure how they had gotten into such a conversation nor why he was feeling oddly relieved to hear that.

He really was not harbouring romantic feelings towards Naruto, and respect had nothing to do with that either, so why was he smiling slightly? He didn't really care who the blond teen fell for –hoping though that it would be someone that would respect Naruto, otherwise Neji would be sharing a few words with them…

Shikamaru watched Neji closely, reading the older teen's emotions flashing in the white orbs in a way that would have left many shinobi in Konoha in envious awe; Neji had relaxed more, fingers idly caressing the grass, and he hadn't removed his elbow either, so Shikamaru was still touching him.

Really, Neji needed to be more aware of his surroundings, or he'd get easily taken advantage of…

"You are a troublesome person, Neji," Shikamaru stated, still smirking.

Then, he grabbed Neji's arm and quickly tugged him down.

The raven haired teen fell heavily on top of Shikamaru, squeaking in a rather undignified way at being pulled around (even if he would deny having squealed like a girl if someone were to ask him), but found himself speechless then, eyes meeting Shikamaru's brown ones.

The brown was deep and of an unusual shade, and it somehow made Neji stop squirming, caught and not quite wanting to move anymore. They didn't look bored as usual, they looked… mischievous, actually.

"Shik–"

All of sudden, Neji felt one of Shikamaru's hands tread into his hair, pushing him down, and much to his shock, he didn't resist, and his lips met with Shikamaru's ones.

'_What the f__–'_

All thoughts ceased at the contact; the smooth texture of Shikamaru's lips against his own was somewhat pleasant and unexpected, but Neji didn't really mind, and instead of pushing away and demanding to know what was going on, he simply held still, enjoying the feeling.

Without pulling away, Neji slowly parted his lips and licked at the other teen's ones, further tasting him; Shikamaru didn't seem to mind either, because he hummed appreciatively and parted his lips as well, offering Neji more to taste.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Neji deepened the kiss, concentrated on the feeling of Shikamaru's mouth and lips, craving more as he deepened their kiss, fuelled by a sudden need to get more.

Neji kissed back, one of his hands grabbing Shikamaru by his waist and placing himself more comfortably on top of the other teen, his other hand holding on the lazy teen's shoulder.

The Nara heir hummed again, more of a groan this time, and Neji smirked into the kiss. He quite liked that sound.

They parted without a sound, cheeks flushed, and stared at each other contemplatively, almost as if analyzing each other's reaction.

Seconds later, Neji was kissing him again, pushing Shikamaru down on the grass and assaulting his mouth, and Shikamaru didn't really mind at all.

Not even when he realised that he'd have to wash the bark and the grass out of his hair afterwards.

The thought actually made him smile.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** hmm, so nobody was wondering why I hadn't mentioned Iruka at all lately :D but you still get to know where he was anyway.

I hope you were satisfied, there was angst, and now Naruto will be under Jiraiya's control… who can guess the mayhem? Or not… :D Next chapter… Gaara?

Please drop me a review!

**Translation****s from Japanese:**

_Inu, t__atsu, u, no, mi, uma, i, tora_ – Dog, dragon, hare, rat, snake, horse, boar, tiger.

_Kai: Kara no jutsu_ – Release: Void Technique.

_Sensei_ – in case you didn't get it before, that means 'teacher'.


	7. Desert

**Edited:** 21/04/2011

**StarsOfYaoi****:** thank you, people who reviewed! Next chapter, a time-skip, as the real good stuff starts from after the three years of training, sorry for those who wished me to focus on that…

Also, I'm sorry, but there won't be any GaaNaru in here. I prefer to keep it simple in terms of pairings despite my love for this one…

Some of you wondered about Kyuubi… well then, this chapter will help you clear your mind.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapte****r 07: Desert**

Stupid Ero–sennin.

Twelve days had passed since Naruto and Jiraiya had left Konohagakure, and to the blond, it felt like forever.

For the first three days, as he headed North with his new sensei –although he had a few reserves in calling Jiraiya that– Naruto had felt… uncertain.

Not that he regretted leaving with the pervert, of course, he was rather satisfied to receive a good training, and while he missed his friends, it felt almost a relief to be away from Konoha, if only for a short while.

Naruto was sure that he would start missing his town in a bit, but right now, the situation was new and refreshing, and that was enough.

The only problem was that he had only three years to grow strong enough to take on both Akatsuki and Sasuke himself, and… was he going to do it with so little time?

Three years away from home would be enough to him?

Seeing his student still uncharacteristically thoughtful, Jiraiya had stopped their advancing to have a serious talk with him; Naruto really didn't understand that with the amount of training he expected to have, three years would not only take a toll on his body, but it might even have the opposite result.

Talking with Jiraiya made Naruto realise that for the first time since… for the first time ever, he was free. Free from people looking down on him, free from everybody's expectations. Just free.

Thus, Naruto had finally started enjoying himself.

He could sleep a hour more in the morning, and Jiraiya wouldn't reprimand him for that, and if he trained himself during meal times, the pervert would make a fuss about it, but in a subtle way that made Naruto feel wanted and also encouraged, but not to the point of being held back.

He liked the feeling.

After the third day, Jiraiya hurried up their pace, wanting to get as far from Konoha as he could, and Naruto, a bit miffed, had complied.

For the following two days, including a stop at a small village for provisions, Naruto had felt Jiraiya's eyes on him, and that had lasted until they were out from the place; then, the Sannin regarded Naruto with a deep frown, and finally spoke up.

"Naruto, you are weak," he had started, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Well, thank you for your honesty –Naruto knew that already. That was why he wanted to train… but Ero–sennin had a serious look on his face, and Naruto decided to just wait to see where he was going.

"So what? Old man, train me and I will get stronger!" he had replied with a determined smirk.

Jiraiya had regarded him with a frown, then, much to Naruto's shock, he had turned his back to him and darted away.

From that point on, for the next seven days, Naruto had travelled mostly alone; the so–called–sensei didn't stop anymore to let Naruto rest, and hour by hour, the distance separating them grew, until Naruto was over half a day behind his sensei.

Whenever Naruto reached a village, Jiraiya had already left it with his portion of supplies, only leaving behind enough traces that Naruto would be able to follow him without getting lost.

At first Naruto had been angry –he had tagged along to train in order to get strong enough to fight against Itachi, or Sasuke. And abandoning their apprentices like that… what kind of teacher would do that?

Then, when he had realised that Jiraiya wasn't slowing down and he was actually planning on continuing like that, Naruto had slowed down –damn perverts and their speed– and afraid he would not be able to find traces of the man if the distance between them grew even more, he had resigned himself and started using his enhanced abilities.

In a way, it felt like hunting, and a part of him relished the chase; travelling through the woods, from village to village, Naruto had allowed himself to enjoy how alive everything felt around him, for once not thinking about how his senses were linked to Kyuubi.

Being a ninja meant they had to merge with nature to catch opponents by surprise, but this…

This was deeper. He felt part of the nature around him, almost as if belonging to the wild.

On the tenth day, as he sat under a tree, glancing up at the star-filled sky, Naruto found himself questioning the sanity of his supposed teacher once again as he prepared to rest up for the night.

He felt better than he had felt in ages, and if allowing his senses to work out this freely had somehow caused this, then he would stop repressing them completely, no matter where they came from.

Though, thinking about that made him think about other opportunities as well.

If he had to grow strong, then maybe he needed to reflect and accept all the power he could gain from any kind of source, including the one he was still rejecting…

That _someone_ who had a lot of power and resided inside him.

Naruto wasn't one to question things, and in fact, ever since finding out about Kyuubi, he had wondered about the why and the how only once. Why had Yondaime sealed Kyuubi inside him? Why him, of all people?

But then, Naruto had just shrugged the questions away. The past was past, he could not change it, and there was nobody to answer his questions anyway.

What if, what if.

In truth, Naruto didn't really care. He looked forwards and wondered about the future, not the past. He wondered whether he could get stronger, for example, or if Sasuke would drown before Naruto was there to help him get out.

But then things had changed again, and Naruto had to face the past, even if not exactly his own, in order to understand.

So if he'd done that for a friend, why not seek out answers from an other unlikely source?

The village called him a demon, but he wasn't a demon. The real demon was sealed within him, and that was it.

What had caused Kyuubi to attack? Was it just for desire of mayhem and massacre that the beast had gotten closer to Konoha and caused everything to start? Or was there another explanation?

Naruto wanted power, but was he going to allow himself to use the borrowed power from Kyuubi despite knowing he was doing the same as Sasuke? Borrowed power was not his own…

'_It would be stupid to say that it's different when it's not,'_ he thought. _'What makes my asking Kyuubi for chakra different from Orochimaru's cursed seal?'_

The reason for his renewed questioning was simple, really –the day before, after tiring himself by trying to follow Jiraiya, Naruto had managed to do something unprecedented.

He had entered the den of the monster –he had found a way to the sewers that held Kyuubi trapped, and had spoken with the demon within.

–**Start Flashback–**

Almost losing hope to be able to catch up with the damned Ero–sennin, Naruto had exhausted his chakra in attempts to run faster, failing miserably, and when night came, he was forced to stop to rest.

Falling asleep took no time, as he was so tired his consciousness faded the moment he rested his head against the grass.

He didn't really feel a shift from being awake and falling forth into a dark alley, but the sharp change of perspective alerted him that this wasn't a simple dream, and that he had managed to reach the depths of his mind, right into the seal of the Kyuubi.

The place was cold and humid, and he shuddered, trying to concentrate on something else.

The alley looked real, but at the same time, he knew it was just appearance. It was the way the seal was designed to look, maybe… or maybe this was the true shape of his own mind.

The thought wasn't reassuring, so he quickly tried to forget about it.

Swallowing his uncertainty, Naruto stepped down into the darkness fogging the alley, feeling his footsteps echo around him as he walked and walked and walked.

Why did the place look so unfriendly and unwelcoming? If this was just Naruto's mind, why couldn't it change to fit his thoughts?

Concentrating on something different –anything, really, as long as it wasn't this cold, scary place– didn't change anything.

Was it the seal, then?

The first time he had visited the seal, there had been no time to stop and look. He had been falling down a cliff courtesy of Jiraiya, with only a nice warning along the lines of _"yeah, sure, if you don't active the red chakra you're going to die!" _to help him out, but now…

Now, he walked slowly, eyes flickering from one side of the narrow alley to the other.

He wanted to look everywhere, but… it was simply bare.

Cold, and bare. And Grey. Naruto hated grey.

Finally, after what felt like hours of walking, Naruto reached the end of the narrow alley. Suddenly, he was standing in a giant, huge empty space, and in front of him were the gates of a cage, behind which there was nothing but shadows and darkness.

This was the place Kyuubi was sealed into.

Taking a step further into the empty space, Naruto frowned as he noticed a seal placed right in the middle of the cage; it was a white, old scroll filled with seals and kanji that he could not read, written in minute dark brown and black ink.

At a closer look, maybe that dark brown was actually dried blood. The thought sent a shiver down Naruto's back.

That was actually the seal Yondaime had placed, and despite looking this old, it was still doing its job. Well then, better not to think about it too much.

As Naruto advanced towards the cage, he found himself more curious than afraid, and the thought made him sneer at himself; the demon scared him, with his raw power and heartless convictions, but other than that, he felt nothing towards the demon.

He wasn't terrified of him, he wasn't scared shitless… merely wary.

Maybe it was because he had met with worse demons in his life –and for once, he wasn't thinking about Shukaku– but the demon was caged, unable to leave this prison, so it couldn't truly hurt Naruto.

He was more worried about different demons, but Kyuubi wasn't really a problem.

Naruto snickered again. Jiraiya and Tsunade would surely hit him if he voiced that, and then call him a fool, but the presence of the demon, even if it was the cause of all the hatred he had received, was still more of a comfort than anything else.

In a way, it reassured Naruto because it was a constant.

Everything around him changed constantly, and at times he was left back without understanding how to get back on par with things… but Kyuubi was always there, and his evilness never changed.

His ways were never challenged, his power still strong.

Yes, maybe Naruto really was a bit insane, after all.

He walked forwards again, slower this time, and when a pair of crimson eyes flashed open in the darkness behind the bars, he did not back down, and simply stopped.

He had expected Kyuubi to come and greet him like a good houseguest, after all.

Still, the sight of those burning orbs still sent a wave of wariness through his body; those eyes were filled with hatred –pure, unrestrained hatred.

But more than that… Naruto swallowed on his dry throat and resisted the urge to look away. There was something more in those orbs.

There was wisdom. There was disgust, and there was contempt.

Those weren't the eyes of a brainless animal, but of a skilled, sly and cunning creature that was older and smarter than Naruto would ever hope to be.

This was the creature that allowed him to borrow chakra when he needed it. This was the creature that had devastated Konoha thirteen years before.

This was the Kyuubi.

"**You are not dying. Why are you here, human?**"

Naruto felt a wave of killing intent wash through him, making his legs tremble under the onslaught. Yes, the demon couldn't hurt him, but… he could still fill him with dread. This close, the Fox was _scary_.

Narrowing his eyes, Naruto tried to look brave.

"You! Furball!"

A moment of silence, then–

"**You, disrespectful **_**human**_**!**" crimson pupils constricted, causing Naruto to back away a little, voice spitting contempt. "**If only I could be free of this seal… then you and your entire village would be nothing but a faint memory!**"

Naruto wasn't entirely sure as to why he was there, talking with the Kyuubi. He hadn't expected to end there when falling asleep, and seriously, the demon hated him probably as much as Naruto resented him.

Besides, wasn't asking for power like that a form of cheating?

And yet, he would not back down. If he allowed this demon to scare him, then he was still weak.

"Kyuubi!" he yelled, stepping forwards. "I need your power!"

Once again, complete silence met his request.

Then, the room was filled with a raw, inhuman laughter, harsh and explosive, and Naruto felt his cheeks go red from embarrassment and fury.

The laugh was mocking him, it sounded like an old, wise man reprimanding an irresponsible child, or an old enemy riling up his foe, laughing at his misery.

The Kyuubi was _amused_.

"**Do you truly believe that I, the great Kyuubi no Kitsune, would ever grant your pathetic request, human?**" the way Kyuubi used that word, 'human', sounded like it was the worst insult ever. "**You are nothing to me. None of you little, whiny humans mean anything other than a quick, unsatisfying meal to me, one of the strongest demons in existence"**.

Naruto felt annoyed, and frowned, still staring at those burning eyes. "It was a human who sealed you in there, though".

He smirked when Kyuubi growled out his anger, the sound echoing in the chamber around them.

"**Don't you fear me? I could devour you without second thoughts… you would be nothing more than a flimsy appetiser… if only I wanted to…**"

Once again, Kyuubi's tone held a hind of amusement, but mostly, the demon was just mocking him –he could sniff Naruto's fear far too easily.

"Of course I am afraid," Naruto stated, but continued before Kyuubi could do more than chuckle. "But you are sealed within me. If I die, the seal will bring you with me in death. And there is no way out for you unless Akatsuki extracts you from me… and then, you will be nothing but energy for them".

Something brushed against the bars –a long, furry paw with equally long, sharp claws– and it caused a wave of electricity to fizzle from the seal down the entire length of the bars.

The paw retreated, and there was silence once again.

Naruto stilled his trembling hands and took a deep, calming breath; he was shaking, and he was scared, but at the same time, oddly calm.

"I need your power," Naruto's voice was still steady. He sat down on the floor, eyes fixed on those crimson animalistic orbs, not wanting to look away. This was a battle he didn't want to lose.

Kyuubi did not reply.

The demon was… restless.

It had been years since he had spoken with another living being, not counting the brat that more than once had the gall to demand power from him, but even before, there had only been one person who had showed fear of him and yet had still remained standing in his presence.

And that person had been in the end strong enough to seal him away.

Now, this little brat dared to stay in front of his cage, admitting his fears and yet still not moving… Kyuubi's curiosity was piqued.

After over thirteen years of imprisonment, even a human–hater like Kyuubi could compromise and talk with a lowly creature such as this one.

"**What makes you think you have any right in asking me for power, brat?**" almost amused, the demon blinked lazily. "**Why should I give it to you? I am already allowing you my chakra when you are in hazardous situations…there is no reason to share more than for simple surviving needs**".

The growl followed the demon's words, reverberating through the chamber, low and teasing, but Naruto didn't detect any threat, so he didn't move. The demon hadn't ignored him so far, and that was an improvement, at least.

It looked like the mighty demon would listen to him. That was enough.

"I am weak".

It was hard to admit it out loud, really. Naruto had grown up denying the real level of his skills, trying to hide away his insecurities under a blanket of a boisterous attitude, but he could do that no more.

All the things that were happening around him… they demanded him to stop faking and start acting like a proper ninja, so that the people who were supporting him would be proud of him.

Need knew no pride, though, and if that meant he had to reason with a demon, then so be it. It didn't have to be like that, with demon and user hating each other. Kyuubi was resentful and Naruto, in a way, shared that.

But maybe things could change for that too.

Kyuubi snickered, snorting in amusement and lifting his head slightly, showing a hint of his glinting fangs to the blond teen.

"**Any human is weak, compared to us demons,**" he replied.

'_Are demons always this self-centred and obnoxious?'_ Naruto wondered, but did not voice this thought aloud. _'There again, Shukaku looked sure of himself until I beat the crap out of him…'_

As snappy as the demon was, Naruto didn't need to add any fuel to his anger. He wanted to work things out, not cause the demon to withdraw even more.

"Yes, I am weak," Naruto repeated, glaring at the crimson orbs in the darkness. "But I want to grow stronger. I have goals, I have a purpose. For that, I need to get stronger".

"**Should I care, perhaps?**" the Fox snarled, shifting slightly behind the bars. "**It is nothing that concerns me. You want to free that traitor, but for all I care, the Uchiha can die under that Snake**".

Naruto was taken aback –not by the refusal, because he knew the demon wouldn't care, but by the knowledge the demon had of what was happening outside of his cage.

And the inflexion Kyuubi had used when speaking about Sasuke… there was something in his tone that sent alarm bells ringing into Naruto's mind.

At the same time, Kyuubi knew of Orochimaru and Sasuke, and despite his dislike for the 'lowly humans', he still seemed rather up to par with what was going on. Maybe he learned things through Naruto's mind, or something, but all in all, Kyuubi knew. If he truly didn't care, then he wouldn't even know about Sasuke's betrayal…

No, Kyuubi was bored. As simple as that, and even Naruto could understand that. He had been sealed for over thirteen years inside the body of a child, without being able to move, or… rampage against villages or do whatever it was that demons did.

Kyuubi's patience was great, but years of being forced into immobility were probably too much even for him.

"You might not care, but I do," the teen replied, shaking his head. The burning eyes of Kyuubi were still fixed on him, and that piercing stare felt like a weight on his chest. Did he gain that colour when he fought with the demon's power? "You are inside me, Kyuubi, whether you want it or not –and the only way you have to keep contact with the outside world is through me. You depend on me, Kyuubi".

Kyuubi blinked, then in a fit of fury, roared loudly right in Naruto's face, who took a step back, feeling the same killer intent from before wash all over him as the roar was amplified by the hollow room.

Still, aside from expressing his rage with that and lashing out with his tails, still careful enough not to touch the bars of his cage, the demon didn't answer.

In a way, unfortunately, it was true.

Underneath the rage at the impudent child daring to say what no one else had ever dared to the demon, Kyuubi knew that the kid, cheeky and rude as he was, was telling the truth. Demons didn't wander in human territories unless evoked, summoned or for revenge purposes, and Kyuubi was no exception.

And now, Kyuubi had to cling to this little brat to survive, waiting for age to erode the seal enough for him to get free, or for his host to die –but in that case, even Kyuubi would die, too, or come out of it with most of his life energy depleted, which would signify a considerable power loss, which would put him in danger of fellow demons, sealed or not.

Against all his pretences, living inside a human had caused the demon to have a shifted perspective for the first time since forever, and although he would not hesitate to kill at sight if given a chance to, he had to make the best with what he had at hand.

Humans, opposite to demons, were not just dark and malevolent –there was acceptance, and friendship, and Kyuubi, in the thousand years he'd lived, could only ever count those worth his trust onto one single paw.

He'd had mates, allies, more than his fair share of enemies.

Few he had respected, fewer he had feared.

And that was why this little runt, a lowly human brat, who faced him despite his fear, who dared to speak freely to him, intrigued the old demon… enough to want to speak to him, enough that if he ever were to be free, he would offer him a chance to die painlessly.

This kid looked up at Kyuubi, and despite knowing the Fox was the cause for his pain, the cause for all the hatred he had received, he still didn't hate the demon. He didn't condone his actions –not that Kyuubi would have cared anyway– but he didn't condemn him either.

Thus why, even in the eyes of such an old, powerful demon, Naruto was just something else.

He felt no protectiveness towards the human child other than that stemmed from his need for auto–preservation, but this situation was completely new.

Naruto scratched his head, still looking at the now silent demon carefully. There was nothing he knew of demons (so maybe he'd have to start digging up information on them), and he could offer Kyuubi nothing except freedom, but that was, obviously out of question.

So what?

What could he do to make his offer seem more enticing to this demon who only had his own life to cling to?

Kyuubi no Kitsune had attacked Konoha on the day of Naruto's birth. He had killed many, and thus Yondaime had died to seal him away… but despite that, Naruto couldn't truly hate Kyuubi for following his own instincts.

He might be sentient and sly and cunning, but Kyuubi was still a fox.

Naruto could understand this simply because he knew what it felt to be connected with nature –chasing Jiraiya made him get closer to understanding that. Only the strongest can live, and Kyuubi, in all his ruthless attitude, was strong.

Naruto understood this, and in a way, he lived to serve that rule as well.

But…

During his fight with Sasuke, it hadn't been Naruto the one to ask Kyuubi for chakra. He had wanted to take on Sasuke all by himself, and then, the demon had mocked him, telling him that he should be grateful for his presence inside him, for the fact that Yondaime had sealed him within the blond teen's body.

Kyuubi had offered his chakra then.

Kyuubi could have controlled him through his rage, pumping the chakra through his body and using him to lash out… and he had not done it.

The demon had offered Naruto his chakra, and then had observed the fight from within the seal.

Maybe he had even been amused by that, who knew.

Before that point, Kyuubi had never been the one to speak to him first. Every time the two entities in the same body had interacted with each other, Naruto had been the one to step up, demanding help.

Then, the demon had done something unprecedented.

_Things could change._

Sasuke hadn't killed him.

Naruto had lived to see another day, and had not changed. It was in his nature to be positive and always search for the best in people.

He was, after all, the most surprising ninja of Konoha.

"Kyuubi! I offer you a deal!"

Surprised, the demon turned his full attention towards the brat again. It wasn't often one could surprise a demon.

A deal.

There was nothing, in this world or in the next, that this brat could ever offer him. the only thing Kyuubi craved was freedom –from this cage, from the seal– but that would never happen.

Crimson eyes shifted closer to the bars of the cage, still not touching it, and Naruto gulped at the proximity with the beast –and yet, he also stepped forwards, determined in not showing the monster the fear he still felt.

Oh, he knew that Kyuubi could feel it, but that didn't mean he had to just show it off like that.

"I have nothing to offer you that you would want –you are restrained within that seal, within that cage, inside my mind, and you cannot take over my body, either," Naruto received no reply, but the silence told him Kyuubi was listening. "But what I can do… is find a solution that can satisfy both. You can't be freed, but I promise I will find something that will be enough of an offer for you".

Kyuubi's head rested on his front paws, eyes digging into the teen's blue eyes. He had low expectations when it came to humans, but once again, this one was different.

Humans were at times as ruthless as demons, but this particular kid had never given up on a promise, and Kyuubi knew that first hand.

Naruto was serious. He would truly try to find something to offer to the demon in exchange for his power.

Snorting quietly, Kyuubi let his amusement show in his eyes. "**Why would you want to make a promise to the cause of your suffering?**" despite Kyuubi's intentions, his tone was curious. "**And why, pray tell, would I ever agree to whatever offer you might come up with?**"

Naruto bit his upper lip. This was rather tricky.

"We are stuck together for a long time, seal or not," he commented, shrugging, but despite his body language, his eyes were still serious. "Isn't helping each other better than just… you know, stay here and rot until I die or the Akatsuki gets me? Not that I'd let them," he added quickly.

For a moment, both Jinchuuriki and Bijuu remained silent.

"Besides… you are a demon and I'm a human, and we both dislike this situation, but we can do shit about it, so… I want you to at least think about it. We don't _have_ to be enemies."

Again, Kyuubi didn't respond, but his silence signalled that he wasn't going to ignore Naruto's words either. This was, so far, a unique situation, and it might call for unique measures, in the end.

Naruto took a deep breath. He hadn't really planned to get this far, honestly –he had expected the demon to ignore him and sneer at his words, but Kyuubi was actually, dare he think that, considering his words.

It was more than he'd thought possible.

"I know you're not good, Kyuubi," Naruto continued, and this time, the demon chuckled in reply. He found himself smiling cheekily back at him. "But being cooperative… collaborative, either, doesn't mean you have to be good. I want to be strong, and I will have a lot of time to research, too. You are strong, but you are imprisoned with no way out. I think we could work out a deal".

Kyuubi would actually blame it on the boredom –thirteen years were nothing in the life of a demon, but being sealed into a human turned this short period of time in a long, boring lifetime– but the brat's words sounded… appealing to him.

Once again, the stupid brat was proving himself interesting to the demon's eyes.

Naruto straightened, feeling rather satisfied with how things were going. The demon hadn't accepted the deal, as there was nothing he could offer yet, but he hadn't denied him the chance to find that something either.

With a smile, Naruto closed his eyes and faded into real sleep, away from the sewer and away from the cage.

–**End Flashback–**

That had happened just the previous day, and Naruto was still nervous whenever he remembered about it.

He had talked with the demon without cursing at him, without yelling, and without having the demon lash at him.

He had even promised the beast that he would try to find something to offer him in exchange for the power he requested… he wasn't sure exactly what to think about his own actions. He'd taken a risky action, and he hoped Jiraiya would never find out. He would skin him alive.

Speaking about Jiraiya, it was only then that Naruto's brain clicked.

It was not possible for a man to get this fast without using a technique, right? Naruto had only stopped to rest for the night, and not even more than a few hours, and yet, instead of catching up with Jiraiya, the distance remained the same.

Even when the old pervert had enough time to buy food at the towns he stopped at, he still managed to speed off before Naruto managed to get there.

Once, Naruto didn't even stop there to buy his own provisions, but that hadn't helped at all –between Jiraiya and him there were still at least ten miles.

So, in Naruto's logic, there was only one possible conclusion.

'_He must be cheating,'_ he thought firmly.

He wasn't sure how, but Jiraiya had been cheating, using some sort of technique, and Naruto set himself on finding out which one.

He had heard of using chakra during ambushes to be silent and lethal, but he wasn't sure if there was something similar that allowed one to move faster.

The only thing he remembered that was mildly connected was one of the few lessons he'd actually listened to during his academy days –Iruka–sensei had been talking about the village's hero, Yondaime, and how he was famous for having an extraordinaire speed.

Someone –Hinata, perhaps– had asked about the jutsu, but Iruka had simply shaken his head, replying that it was a well kept secret that only selected people knew about. The Yondaime had been using a jutsu, yes, but nobody else knew the exact steps to learn it.

If there was a jutsu about it, Naruto had no way to catch up with Jiraiya like that, but if he could somehow think up the theory behind it, maybe he could actually develop something on his own.

After all, Naruto was one surprising ninja, and creating new techniques was actually something he was good at.

Standing up, Naruto decided to sacrifice a few hours of sleep to travel again –the night was cool, and he was well into Kaze no Kuni anyway, and the tree he'd been resting under was one of the few left in the middle of the mostly bare lands.

The traces left by the white haired pervert were still fresh even now, at night, but if his reasoning was correct, Naruto would never get to catch up with the older man.

Stretching and taking a deep breath, scowling at how dry the air of the Wind Country was, Naruto once again looked at his surroundings.

While following Ero–sennin's traces, he had been aware of the changes that occurred to the land as he moved steadily from the Fire country into the Wind one, and he'd quickly grown used to the dull, even landscape.

He'd been under the impression that Sunagakure was just an arid, empty place made of sand and only sand, but it wasn't quite right; yes, there _was_ sand, but it was not the only thing around.

There was an alternation of lands with plants and some rare tree and actual deserted areas completely covered with sand that had no vegetation whatsoever; mile after mile, the areas switched with no set pattern, but the deeper he got into the new country, the less he could see of the areas with vegetation.

The one he was in was actually the last he'd seen in a while, lost within sand and nothingness.

He was actually thankful that he had stopped there, because when the sun set, the air in the desert got chilly really quickly, and he didn't like it; during the day it was equally bothersome, as the wind was dry and hot and it sent wave after wave of sand on his face, making him splutter and cough –he had resorted to wrapping his head into a handkerchief to protect his mouth and nose from the onslaught.

At least he could resist against the heat, so travelling during the day, even under a scorching sun, was actually better than travelling in the cold.

Twelve days after leaving Konoha, Naruto stood in the middle of nowhere, and glanced around, feeling the temperature quickly fall as the sun disappeared in the distance.

'_Chakra,' _he thought, pondering over it as he walked back and forth, trying to concentrate without getting cold. _'Chakra moves into the body in circles, like a wave, and spreads from the heart to the limbs, and then back to the heart'_.

He needed to think about the basics, this was just like creating his Oiroke no Jutsu. He would do fine, he just needed to concentrate on the details.

So, focusing chakra in his hands with the proper hand seals would release the chakra and make a jutsu. Fine. But using chakra to move…?

During their mission in Nami no Kuni, Kakashi–sensei had taught them how to climb trees. They had to focus their chakra under their feet in order to walk up the length of the tree, so that the chakra would keep them stuck to the bark and work against gravity.

Yes –that was it!

"Concentrate chakra under my feet!" he gasped out, finally seeing a way out.

But that wasn't it, no… climbing trees had taught him that chakra would keep him in place, not help him move faster. He'd get stuck on the ground, really.

Then, there was walking on water. The amount of concentration was different there, because water moved under his feet, it wasn't still like a tree, but the basics were the same…

So surely there was a way to use chakra to move faster.

"Come on, come on, think…" he continued his pacing, growing more and more unsettled with himself.

There had to be a way, but… how?

As he opened his mouth to cheer himself up, a sudden wave of wind sent a mouthful of sand right into his mouth, and he coughed and spluttered again, waving his arms around in anger, cursing the sand and Jiraiya –it was _always_ that pervert's fault, after all.

Glaring at the sand, Naruto followed its swirling and spinning in the air, cursing at it.

"Wait… wait, wait, wait!"

Eyes widened in shock, Naruto fell on his knees and stared at the spinning sand, lips stretching into a wide, pleased smile.

Yes. _That_ was the answer.

A whirlpool!

Feeling proud of his intuition, Naruto clapped his hands together without wasting time, and concentrated on his chakra reserves, pushing them easily into his feet; that was step one, just like climbing trees or walking on water.

Then, he tried to make his chakra spin.

The basics should have been similar to what he did with Rasengan –forming a ball of compressed, spiralling chakra that he could release with an attack.

Unfortunately, he used a Kage Bunshin to make the Rasengan, as he couldn't make the wind spin in two different directions at once. Not yet, at least.

Crouching down, he concentrated on the chakra under his feet, picturing it behind closed eyes, willing it to rotate; it was hard and the chakra didn't seem to want to follow his orders.

Slowly, though, he felt the chakra bend to his will, and with a smile, he lunged forwards.

The reaction was immediate –he slid forwards effortlessly, but unable to control his movements and the sudden change of pace, which felt more like skating than walking, he quickly lost his balance, and without any means to stop, he fell forwards on his face, swallowing a good mouthful of sand and soil.

Shit.

Coughing out the soil with a grimace, Naruto stood back up again, cursing loudly. This was going to be more difficult than he thought, but…

"Yes! It works!"

He bounced around, then caught himself and stopped, clearing his throat.

A second later, he crouched again, but knowing what was coming, Naruto balanced himself on his chakra first, focusing on sending less chakra to his feet and trying to control the speed of the rotation, getting used to the feeling.

It was actually weird, but not impossible, and that was what mattered in the end.

Naruto pushed himself forwards, but this time with less force, and much to his happiness, he managed to slid forward without falling, although he had to thrust his arms out to keep himself up.

With an even wider smile, Naruto whooped happily.

He was a little uncertain as he slid forwards again, uneasy about the shift of his body balance, but he was standing and he was moving, and in a weird way…

It was funny.

"I am the best!" he laughed, thrusting a fist into the air.

Then fell on the ground again, unbalanced by his sudden movement.

"Oh, damn it," he muttered.

He spent a few hours getting the hang out of his little trick, wondering whether he should name it or just wait until he managed to find Jiraiya to ask him if his hunch had been right and the jutsu existed already, but when he stopped training and looked around, he realised that night had fallen, and the cold was starting to get to him.

"Need to rest now," he muttered, feeling the cold freeze the sweat on his skin.

Stupid desert areas, so cold…

The ground was not as hard as it was in the Fire Country, and the area he was in was actually more like a mix of sand and soil, so Naruto quickly summoned two clones and put himself to work, digging a deep hole and burying himself into it, curling into his sleeping bag and covering his head with his jacket and his spare blanket.

He would need to keep his warmth and wait until morning, so that would do.

As he waited for sleep to come, Naruto smirked to himself. Now he had an ace that would help him reduce the distance between himself and Jiraiya. He couldn't wait to start using his new technique for real…

And then show it to his stupid perverted sensei. That would teach him.

With this thought on mind, he fell asleep, a smile still on his lips.

…–…–…–…

Staring at the three councillors before him, Jiraiya was strongly reminded of the members of Konohagakure's council.

They were old, narrow-minded and absolutely _boring_, and had lived easily by the rules applied to the village without ever thinking about how things could change in time –just like the elders of Konoha.

The only different thing was that half of these men had never fought in a war –at least the Councillors in Konoha had been shinobi, once, and two of them had even been Sarutobi's teammates.

Still, even if the two Head Councillors of Konoha had been skilled shinobi in the past, retirement had caused them to grow bitter, and forget what it meant to fight every day for their village –and they had never really been open minded anyway.

Jiraiya inwardly cursed. To be a councillor, the only thing you needed was to be intelligent, not strong or skilled. A councillor had to think about what was best for the village first, without caring for their own ideas or beliefs.

Welfare of their village first.

Which was why what the Council of Suna had just revealed him had shocked him to the core; it was absurd, but so absurd it could even work… if the intended party accepted, of course. Which was a completely different matter altogether.

"After everything you've done to the boy, after all the pain you forced him to feel… that's what you want to do?" he really couldn't believe the guts of those men.

It was surely a joke… but the determined faces of the three Councillors he was speaking with were enough to tell him that no, they were _not_ kidding. They were dead serious.

"It is the best solution for the village," one of the three spoke, shaking his head and looking towards the hall of the Kazekage Residence.

Jiraiya followed the stare, noticing the busts of the previous four Kazekage eerily visible at the light of the torches in the hall. He unconsciously shivered.

The man narrowed his eyes. "Sunagakure needs protection, and we don't care whether it's a demon wielder that gives it to us –at this time, it is the only way out".

In a strange, twisted and sick way, Jiraiya could understand that reasoning, but it was still kind of creepy how a village that had treated a Jinchuuriki like shit for years, probably worse than Konoha had ever treated Naruto, could then be the one to drop everything for the sake of moving on.

Also amusing, but still in a sick, unorthodox way.

The Councillors were determined in stepping over their old attitudes to change, if only for the sake of Suna… well, that was good enough.

"So you want _him_ to be the next Kazekage?" Jiraiya sighed.

Was it even a good idea, in the end?

'_Naruto, you need to reach Sunagakure as soon as possible,'_ he thought, for the first time regretting his decision to start training Naruto in such a way.

Leaving Naruto to take care of himself in the wild was survival training, and Naruto needed it; he was slow, and unused to different surroundings, so if Jiraiya wanted to be able to trust Naruto to live on his own during the three years they had in front of them, the teen needed to show he was able to take care of himself.

Unfortunately he had not expected to have such shocking news presented to him as soon as he reached Sunagakure, and he was starting to think he had made a huge mistake.

Naruto would have been the perfect person to talk with the Shukaku host, especially with a news of this calibre.

Not sure about when the blond Jinchuuriki would get to Suna, Jiraiya had no way to know how Gaara would react. What would happen if Naruto took more than four, five days to get there?

For the welfare of Sunagakure and Kaze no Kuni, Gaara had to know, and as soon as possible.

"Yes," the councillor on the right nodded sharply. "Sabaku no Gaara will be the next Kazekage".

Jiraiya was too caught up in his thoughts, and the three councillors were barely able to detect chakra, let alone recognise a masked signature, and that was why none of them noticed the figure standing behind a wall, back pressed against the cool stones, eyes wide and pupils dilated, face for once showing an intense, overwhelming emotion –shock.

A drop of sweat trickled down his temple as the red haired teen, still hidden from the four in the room, swallowed on a dry throat.

This was just…

So that was what they were planning, that was why the men could not stop staring at him, thinking that Gaara wasn't aware of their searching gazes…

The Sand nin was used to the glares, but the difference was almost obvious since he knew where to look. Their gazes had been cautious, wary but not afraid, simply thoughtful.

For once, Gaara did not know how to feel. He was on the receiving end of something that was not an insult nor a killing attempt by his village, and he did not know what to do about it.

They were not planning against his life.

They were planning to give him control over their Village.

Still, Gaara did not know what to feel; he felt empty, confused, and the world around him was spinning madly, the colours mixing together into a horrid grey mass.

Should he believe in them? Would they really want a lowly monster as their Kazekage?

Did they think he would really protect the village that had turned its back on him so many times? He hated Sunagakure. How could he not?

He'd have to protect it. Why? How?

At his feet, his sand started shifting and moving restlessly, feeling his uncertainty and feeding on it –because if his chakra was disturbed, his control on the sand was weaker.

But the redhead was not even aware of it as the sand crept up his legs, as if to defend him from invisible threats, halting for a second at his waist, feeling the heart racing in his chest, then shifting upwards again, completely covering his face.

Forming a mask.

So as the inner shield started breaking again, the sand created a new one.

…–…–…–…

Everything was dark; a black mist was covering the space around the man without allowing any light to pass though its thickness.

The figure stood still in the darkness, unmoving, giving the impression that he wasn't even breathing –a black, sinister shadow hiding away, almost as if ready to strike at any moment.

The chakra covering the area was so thick that even the silence was deafening, almost amplified by the sheer strength of the figure's aura.

Then, a noise made its way into the silence –the sound of approaching footsteps breaking the uneasy stillness.

The figure hiding within the darkness knew who the person was. No one to care about, just a messenger.

After all, the chakra masking was enough to keep any danger away from them, and the ones daring enough to try and get through would be dead the moment they stepped too far into it.

Only few could safely pass through the shield, in the end.

The protection was strong, as it had to be, they couldn't risk being discovered –it would cause them trouble, although not enough to put an end to their operations, but still enough to hinder them.

They were more than capable to deal with any threat, but one thing is to lure your prey out where you could slay it, and one was to let the prey into your den. Finding out the whereabouts of their headquarters would be detrimental in the long run.

They were a group composed by many shinobi from various hidden villages, and each main village had at least one missing–nin that was currently part of the organization. Gaining knowledge of their hideout would put on their tales hunters from all Five Countries.

They knew better than that, and so they hid away.

Besides, three of the Jinchuuriki had already fallen into their hands, and two had been reported dead –murdered at a young age. Which meant two demons were still on the run, and four Jinchuuriki were still alive.

Of them, two would pose to be rather problematic, the Ichibi and the Kyuubi.

"The spy reported that the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki has left the village together with the Toad Sennin," a voice spoke, straining to reach his ears through the thick, oppressing darkness.

The figure still didn't move except for his eyes, that shifted to the crouched figure a few feet away, penetrating through the darkness as if it wasn't even there.

He had used a simple jutsu, and the dark coils around him were simply a form of cruel amusement to play with the ones sent to him with the latest news; he didn't really waste chakra with weaklings, such as the messenger that was still crouching in front of him, but the pleasure in sending shivers of fear down their backs was enough for him to continue.

None of these lowlife shinobi would ever get the honour of seeing his true appearance, as that was reserved only for the Eight Pillars, but they would bow and tremble in fright, and pass on the word. The fear would spread, and so would his amusement.

Akatsuki was, by all means, a reserved, small organization; there were only nine main members, including the leader, but to take care of unimportant, small things, they had a large web of spies and contacts –the lowlife– that spread through the countries, working undercover and reporting every few weeks.

"We've been expecting that," he replied, voice smooth and clear like silk. It was a voice that spoke of danger, death and darkness surrounding and choking you fully.

It was the tone of someone who had known hell, and who had travelled there and back up to create his own, personal inferno.

No other voice could belong to the one person who had created Akatsuki.

"Send Itachi and Kisame to hunt the Fox down, but tell them not to interfere or capture him unless I order them to," he finally continued, after a long pause in which he observed the messenger fidget in distress.

There was a slight disturbance in the chakra pathways of the man in front of him, and he smirked, basking in the waves of fear the shinobi emanated.

Fear was good. Fear was pleasant. This man feared him, and he had all reasons to.

Like a dagger, his tone turned from silky sweet to icy sharp. "Hurry up".

Staggering back with a strangled cry, the messenger stumbled on his way out, and the Leader of Akatsuki chuckled darkly at the strands of mist that seemed to uncoil and try to reach out for the man as he ran away.

Yes –messing up with the incompetent trash always left a good taste in his mouth.

The way things were going amused him. It amused him greatly, and that was why he was willingly to wait all the time that _it_ needed to continue with the plan.

'_Dear Jinchuuriki… only __four of you are left now… one way or another, I will use you, and the power will be in my hands to be disposed of'_.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** I hope this satisfied all of you… there was Kyuubi, Gaara and even the Akatsuki! Do I deserve a review, now?

In this chapter, you also realised Naruto can take care of himself, which is important at this point.

**Important Ending Note:** I had to create an Akatsuki Leader since when I was writing this fic, the boss hadn't been revealed yet. To simplify things, I'll keep my OC Leader, but don't worry, he won't have much spotlight unless it's strictly necessary.


	8. Acceptance

**Edited:** 22/04/2011

**Thanks to everyone ****who reviewed. I love you guys!**

**StarsOfYaoi****:** we've never seen how Gaara became the Kazekage, so I took liberties with it. This chapter is dedicated to all of you who are Gaara's fans. I am one, too :3

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapte****r 08: Acceptance**

_The village was just as beautiful as ever._

_Even in the middle of October, with winter drawing close at a quick pace but not yet gracing the borders of the village, Konoha didn't lose its charm._

_The wind was cold, at times harshly swiping through the village, at times blowing softly, but the sight of Konoha was still worth staying outside, renouncing to the warm houses to walk around.__ The trees surrounding Konoha were tinged with crimson and light brown, leaves falling on the ground, beautiful and rich with their autumnal colours, and the grass was wet by the morning dew._

_A few birds that were still around, not having migrated southwards, were chirping within the shadows of the trees, their loud voices reaching into the village, otherwise silent at that hour of the day._

_It was early, and the sun was barely peeking from behind the mountains, a dim light spreading slowly over the land and the rooftops, and that was what made the sight of the village even more breathtaking._

_Another day was starting in Konoha._

_Despite the time, in the part of the village that was ruled by the Uchiha family many had already woken up and were preparing for a long day, but for a moment more, the streets were still desert, and nobody was around…_

_Nobody but a single, silent shape moving through the woods, slowly walking from the main house of the compound, where he lived, to a secluded part of the forest next to the Uchiha estates._

_He was completely silent as he walked, his feet not making any sound even as they crushed the dry leaves fallen from the trees around him._

_He wasn't hurrying up, either, for once simply taking a walk and enjoying the silence and the peace around him instead of jumping from branch to branch like one would have expected from him._

_This calm, this peace that he was allowing himself to feel… it helped him. it soothed his spirit, calming it down, helping him to keep his façade._

_It was hard to maintain his emotionless mask at times, there were things that troubled him and unsettled his mind; and still, that mask was a part of him, or at least part of what he had others believe was him._

_Almost unconsciously, he had practiced every single day, year after year, to perfection his appearance, so that others would be fooled, so that nobody would know where to look –so that nobody would want to look._

_Years that others had used to play and laugh._

_Years in which he carved his mask until there was nothing to add. Every detail perfect to his eyes._

_He had become a master._

_His illusion had been perfect, far too perfect, and every day he would get the proof when he spoke with his clan, with those strangers that he used to call family, and none of them ever noticed._

_His façade, in truth, was nothing but a shallow, thin mask, and yet not one soul ever managed to see through it._

_He couldn't think about it, though._

_If he ever let his thoughts linger on that –on that thin veil that was the only thing left to cover his true self up– then it was harder to keep it standing. The mask would suddenly grow heavy on him, straining his muscles in that emotionless nothingness he was used to show to the world._

_It bubbled under the surface, the knowledge that he was wearing a mask to hide something, and that something was overwhelming, a single burning emotion he had tried so hard to bury within him._

_Thinking about the mask caused it to crack, and that emotion filtered inside him, suddenly overcoming his defences until he could no longer fight, but just –feel._

_Nobody had to know._

_No matter if feeling that emotion helped him move through the day, no matter if that emotion was the only way he could feel alive –the burning emotion that devoured him from the inside._

_It had taken him years to control that emotion until it no longer ate him away, but now that he did, it was easier to hide._

_The figure continued walking, moving out from the shadows of the surrounding trees, and a stray ray of sun, weak and hesitant, gently brushed over his body, revealing a __pale complexion accentuated even more by the black clothes he was wearing, black hair tied in a low ponytail and equally black eyes._

_To anybody looking, despite his pale skin, he would have looked a shadow hiding within shadows._

_He continued walking further away from the village, completely ignoring it as he took a small path amongst the trees._

_Even though he was alone, no other soul around, the same exterior, the mask, didn't falter –he looked empty, emotionless._

_But it was only his well crafted façade._

_Genius, prodigy, excelling in everything he tried at first attempt, ANBU at such a young age, able to kill another person in the blink of an eye without showing any regret…_

_And yet, nobody realised that this genius was naught but a child –child indeed, not even a teen– and that no child could be able to kill and maim without feeling the slightest remorse… nobody wondered._

_Nobody cared, because to the eyes of the village, to the eyes of his family, he was just a weapon –a skilfully crafted weapon, but one nonetheless, and the less emotions a weapon had, the easier it was to use it._

_And that was fine by him._

_His mind was far more advanced than his peers, progressing where age should have only hindered it, hiding behind that mask of intelligence and devotion that everybody believed was him._

_There was more deep inside, more than just simple intelligence, more than just simple geniality –he was not a simple weapon._

_If he could even feel something as foreign as amusement, he would have smiled –and not the fake smile he used with his family, but a real one– because the blind fools were not aware of the growing danger they were in…_

_Because the world was cold, and that emotion within him was burning, and he revelled in that feeling –it was different, it was alluring, it was…_

"_Itachi–kun," a voice greeted him._

_He turned around slowly, eyes focusing on the teen in front of him as he acknowledged him with a small nod; he had expected to meet him here, that was why they were meeting in such a place, and there was no need to hide either._

_His chakra flared for a second, then was forced down again._

_In front of him was the one person that, if he had to be honest with himself, __had the power to confuse him._

_By common standards, they should be called best friends –close, so very close to each other, almost brothers. Terms such as these were difficult to grasp, explaining concepts that Itachi had no real intention to touch._

"_Shisui–kun," he replied._

_His voice echoed in the forest, and to his own ears it felt even too loud, much like an explosion._

_Then, Itachi stretched his lips into a smile. The mask's smile was warm, but the person in front of him could read him better than many –actually, the person in front of him could __read him, period._

_Shisui's eyes darkened, and Itachi's smile promptly fell._

_The two remained there, not moving, __staring at each other in silence as the wind brushed past._

_Then, all of sudden, life made itself present once again by the sound of a bird chirping nearby, and time, that had stilled seconds before, started ticking again._

_Itachi's lips stretched into a different sort of smile –something that was more like a grimace, but that was more honest than any fake smile._

_And then, the two walked together, side by side, away from the village._

…–…–…

The truth was, he _was_ improving.

Unconsciously or not, that kid was improving, and even _he_ had to admit it –at least to himself.

Even so, that admission was made without lingering on that thought more than he should, as his attention, so far, had not been piqued. At least, not yet.

There wasn't much that could attract his attention and then keep it for long, and he could count them on the fingers of a single hand; he was a strange person, after all, so strange that sometimes even his half, his partner, was confused by his actions and doubted of his sanity.

Sane or not… in the end, it was just words. There were things that couldn't be described, not even after trying and trying again, and if anything, Itachi was one of those.

Words could only express things up until a certain point, but after that, there was nothing, as simple as that.

If anything, at least, it was human complexity that attracted him –the way a mind could conjure up thoughts and then actions, at times consequential, at times controversial; strength and will and determination all played a part in a person's life, and each of them was equally important.

And yet, not many were complex enough to get Itachi's attention, just as not many were those simple enough to fail to get it, either.

"Wait and observe my ass," his partner muttered under his breath, talking with himself. Itachi heard it nonetheless, and blinked. "Why? Why can't we just grab him now and be done with it?"

Sparing a glance towards his half –the person who had been placed at his side as a permanent companion by their boss– Itachi felt the ghost of a smile touch his lips.

He had grown used to Kisame's lack of patience, and in a familiar pattern, the older man's complaints continued for a bit longer, unmindful of Itachi's glance.

Partners in Akatsuki were simply those who could, without much effort, get along enough not to kill each other after a few hours of travelling together.

Kisame was tall, taller than Itachi was –and the elder Uchiha was not a shrimp. Even though his facial features couldn't be possibly classified under human, Kisame was, surprisingly enough, one; small black eyes, streaks under his eyes that could pass as gills, pale complexion that had more of a bluish tinge than a pink one, weird, pointy hair… yes, Kisame looked more like a mix between a shark and a man than a proper, normal person.

Of course, the fact that his weapon of choice was a sword named after a shark and made of shark skin truly didn't help the matter.

Kisame had joined Akatsuki long before Itachi had, and his reasons had never been disclosed –not that Itachi cared to know them. The man had been part of the Hidden Mist as one of the Seven Swordsmen, and could wield that weird sword better than many people Itachi had met during his life.

That man asked no questions, was loud and unnerving, but had enough respect and lack of concern towards Itachi's business that the Uchiha genius had accepted him as a partner without second thoughts –and their partnership had lasted for the six years Itachi had worked with Akatsuki, taking Orochimaru's place.

Despite his loudness, Kisame suited him just fine.

On his part, Kisame had gathered information on Itachi during their partnership as well, enough for them to work together but nothing more.

Kisame's thoughts about Itachi were simple –the man was unreadable, distant and cold, but mind games and psychology were not Kisame's forte at all.

Itachi showed no interest for anything, and Kisame only complained when the few things he wanted to do were prohibited to him –in this particular case, action and bloodshed– and their partnership in Akatsuki was perfect exactly because of that.

There was no companionship between them, no friendship and no curiosity –and the level of trust was just enough to know that if attacked, they would be able to defend each other and work together.

What they shared –what every member of Akatsuki had in common with the others– was their power levels and the offers they had received from their Leader, and nothing more.

What had kept Itachi in Akatsuki for so long was, in the end, his disinterest; the world could not offer him any sort of distraction. So he waited.

Maybe, something would change. Maybe not.

Kisame had wanted to test his limits and be able to cause as much mayhem as he could –slash his sword around, sucking chakra away and creating bloodbaths…

That was it.

"Leader said to wait for an order first," Itachi reminded his half, eyes returning to their target.

Kisame grumbled. He knew what the orders were –follow the Jinchuuriki without engaging him in a fight, keep a low profile so not to attract the Sannin's attention, and not move.

He wasn't stupid, and he would never act against his orders –he knew better than that.

But that didn't mean he couldn't make a fuss about it.

Why wait? Why waste time while the kid was dragged around by the Toad Sennin, simply checking up on him every now and then?

Grunting in acknowledgement, Kisame patted his Samehada and returned to his muttering.

Crimson eyes flickered in Kisame's direction one more time, then Itachi focused on their target again as silence settled around them once more.

…–…–…–…

Waking up, Naruto felt refreshed.

As usual, Kyuubi healed him during his sleep, and as he resurfaced from sleep, he felt as good as new, and ready to start another day of chasing Jiraiya down.

Stretching and blinking at the sudden light as he pushed the blanket away from his head, Naruto resurfaced from the hole in the ground with a small smile.

He had successfully managed to avoid the cold during the night, and with the sun shining on him in the early morning, he felt warm already; pushing himself up on the ground, Naruto's lungs were assaulted by wave after wave of heat, and he gasped out, shaking his head and grabbing his flask of water from the bag.

"Ah! So hot!"

Massaging his muscles carefully with one hand, he uncorked the flask and took a hesitant sip, licking his lips as his dry throat finally received some blessed water; it wasn't cool anymore, but water was water, and he needed to keep himself hydrated or he would dry up like a prune.

As hard as it was to find water in the middle of the desert –and he had yet to find a village since coming into the Kaze no Kuni– Naruto knew better than to waste the water in his possess, so he carefully closed the flask again and placed it back in his bag.

Looking around, frowning at the fact that the landscape was the same in every direction, Naruto stretched his senses out and put his mind to work to pick up the traces his sensei had left for him to follow.

Seconds later, he was running already, smiling happily.

With chakra pools replenished again, Naruto concentrated on his feet and soon enough his chakra was already spinning there, curling and moving at just the right speed; he had trained long and hard to get it right at first try, but now it was perfect.

Proud of the control he had gained over his chakra, Naruto flexed his legs and darted forwards, his pace considerably faster with the aid of the chakra.

For a mile or so, still trying to get used to the feeling, Naruto tested his limits with his new 'jutsu', playing around on the ground and then on the sand as he went again into a desert area, rolling up and down the hills and quickening his pace.

Soon enough, there was only sand around him –miles and miles of sand glittering under the sun.

Running at top speed, still following Jiraiya's trail, the hot sun on his bare skin, the heavy, thick hair of the desert burning his lungs, Naruto felt alive again.

He liked this –the feeling of the sun and the wind, the chakra under his feet… everything.

For a moment, he wondered if he would find someone on his path, and if so, how would they react to his presence –an orange blur running on the sand… maybe he should have gotten new clothes that could fit better in this new territory, but there again, maybe he simply needed new clothes, period… something not orange, something more ninja–ish…

He laughed loudly, shaking his head.

He'd think about that later on, but for now, all he wanted to do was enjoy his run.

He continued moving forwards for hours, only stopping once or twice to get a sip of his water, and finally, as if to repay his hard work, something different from the endless sea of sand appeared in front of him, in the distance.

It wasn't exactly something he had expected to see, though.

It was a huge wall, similar to the one surrounding Konoha… or at least it looked like it had once been a wall. Right now, it looked just like broken ruins, and it would not serve as a defence for a very long time.

From left to right, the wall had crumbled onto the sand as if destroyed by a giant hand, and nothing but ruins remained in its place; there was a huge cloud of sand on one point, together with a loud sound of something being crushed, and Naruto correctly assumed that the cause of such destruction was still there, continuing his job piece by piece.

Stopping his running instantly, raising a wave of sand and dust in front of him, Naruto stumbled a bit –coming to a stop was still a bit tricky– and licked his dry lips in wonder.

Whoever was destroying the wall had a somewhat familiar chakra, but no matter how much he tried to pinpoint it, he couldn't seem to recognise whom it belonged to.

Wiping away the sweat from his forehead, blond hair falling sloppily all over his eyes, Naruto eyed the wall with speculative eyes; whoever was doing this was probably strong enough to be a good opponent, but Naruto was not going to run to him without thinking.

Another part of the defensive wall crumbled down in the distance, a loud crunching noise following suit, and another giant wave of sand and dust rose in its place.

Again, a wave of very familiar chakra.

Naruto was torn –on one side, he really needed to catch up with Jiraiya and shove it up his ass, but on the other…

He was curious enough to actually postpone his meeting with Ero–sennin and go look for the cause of that disturbance instead.

The familiar chakra only sealed his decision, in the end.

Grinning one of his well-known fox grins, Naruto shrugged, and reactivating his chakra whirlpool, quickly moved towards the explosions, noticing as he moved that the wall hadn't been the only one to suffer from the sudden attack.

There was only sand around, that was true, but there were giant, gaping holes close to the destroyed wall –to cause such a destruction, the person responsible had to be really strong…

The answer became obvious as he finally reached the wall of dust that was slowly descending to the ground, and as the chakra flared even stronger, Naruto halted his running, eyes growing wide at the sight.

Part of him had actually expected it, but it was still enough of a shock to see Gaara busy ramming his sand against the wall; the sand was forming a giant fist, and it continued punching the wall until it gave up under the attack, cracking and then crumbling down at once.

Naruto swallowed. He hadn't thought that his next meeting with a fellow Jinchuuriki would be something like that, so he wasn't sure what to do.

The redhead looked emotionless as usual, but at the same time, as Gaara felt Naruto's chakra approaching and turned towards him, Naruto could recognise something different in those green eyes –anger. Intense, absolute anger.

Naruto wasn't sure what had caused Gaara to react like that and cover up his face with the sand again –he could see the small cracks on his face, right under his eyes– but he knew he couldn't leave the other teen continue.

The poor wall was going to have to be rebuilt as it was, any more damage would be just overdoing it.

"Gaara!" he called out, placing one hand on a nearby piece of broken wall to steady himself.

As he opened his mouth, more sand flew in and he ended spluttering, much to his chagrin. Stupid sand. Stupid desert.

Gaara stilled.

After having spied on the Councillors' talk with the white haired man from Konohagakure –he had recognised the hitai–ate– Gaara had left, spending the night walking through the desert on the outskirts of Suna, to think.

He had felt rage burning its way up from his chest and had not stopped it, confused about what to feel about the whole situation. The same people who had hated him for all his life, making him into a monster, making him believe to be a monster, were now demanding him to protect them.

Become their leader and devote his existence to protect the one village that he had never considered home to begin with.

How could he want to protect the very one place he'd never belonged to?

It was unfair to ask that of him. Unfair. Stupid. Extremely foolish of them.

In the earliest hours of the morning, Gaara had reached the wall surrounding Suna, and being faced with it, remembering it was there as a strategic protection from attacks coming from the outer borders of the village, Gaara had felt his rage finally reach its limits.

The Councillors wanted him to become something like this wall –standing there, taking the brunt of the attacks.

It was a protection for Suna, much like what they wanted him to become. This was exactly what Gaara was supposed to become –a strong shield.

It was only fair that he wanted to take it down, piece by piece.

He didn't want to protect Sunagakure. He didn't want to let his life be shattered again, not after everything he had done to pick up the pieces the last time. It was hard already as it was.

Why?

Why were they asking him to become the Kazekage?

He was mashing down another piece of the wall when he felt a flare of chakra from his left, and he turned around. For a moment, he didn't know whom he was looking at, too lost within his rage to recognise the other person. Then, the figure called out his name, and Gaara's brain clicked in recollection.

Naruto stilled completely when Gaara's fist stopped moving and hovered in the air.

The redhead's attention was now completely focused on him, but the rage was still there, present and burning strong.

Overwhelmed by the sudden need to calm Gaara down, Naruto felt his heart speed up; he wasn't used in seeing the sand shinobi acting like that… even if they had met only a few times, and one of these they had ended kicking the shit out of each other, Naruto still considered the other Jinchuuriki a friend.

Gaara growing up never had friends, while Naruto had been luckier, and now that his friends knew about Kyuubi they were still his friends.

Without Iruka–sensei, without his friends, without Sandaime to protect him, without someone to talk with…

Naruto would have been exactly like Gaara.

"Uzumaki… Naruto?" Gaara's tone was uncertain, clipped.

Naruto didn't know what to do. He needed to calm down Gaara, or risk Shukaku coming out again, but… what to do? He didn't know what had caused Gaara to lose it so much…

'_Maybe I just have to act normally… maybe this will reassure Gaara that everything is fine…?'_

Scratching the back of his head with a sheepish smile, Naruto swallowed his uneasiness and stepped forwards. "Hey, Gaara! Long time no see!"

Gaara blinked hesitantly, tilting his head to the side; he hadn't expected… that.

Right in front of him, looking as if nothing was wrong, was the one person who had caused Gaara's entire world of beliefs to shatter into million fragments. The one person who had cried for him, the one person who could understand him.

The one person who had Gaara finally open his eyes and realise there was someone who cared for him, too –his brother and his sister.

"Uzumaki Naruto," he repeated, a little steadier this time.

Almost as if his sole presence was some sort of switch, Gaara felt his rage subside a bit, confusion taking its place. Why was the blond teen here?

Naruto seemed to realise the slight change, and he moved again, coming to his side and doing something nobody had done before –he gently tapped the sand shinobi on the shoulder, a warm, honest smile still on his lips.

Gaara's eyes widened and the sand on his face retreated; the contact had shocked him, because it was new and… unexpectedly nice, and his sand hadn't reacted against Naruto to stop him, either.

"Yeah yeah, I'm glad you remember my name too!" Naruto chuckled, muscles relaxing even more. "Say, what the hell are you doing all by yourself here? And why are you hurting this poor wall? Did it insult you or something?"

Gaara regarded him for a second, and the sand on his face retreated some more. Now his rage was almost completely gone.

"Walls do not speak, Uzumaki Naruto," he replied in a quiet tone.

Fighting the urge to facepalm, Naruto let out a hesitant laugh. "I _know_ that… what's with the Uzumaki? Just call me Naruto, come on!"

Gaara felt a new itch grow into his chest –he wanted to throttle Naruto for some reason he didn't know, but he managed to suppress the need, almost snorting in amusement. Instead, he glared half–heartedly at the other teen, who waved at him, unimpressed.

If he had to be honest, Naruto had seen worse glares from Neji and Sasuke. Besides, Gaara wasn't really angry anymore, especially not at him.

"So… what's with the wall?" Naruto returned on his earlier question, nudging Gaara on the shoulder, once again surprising the Sand–nin by touching him willingly. He was smiling again, one of those warm smiles that could melt even a stone.

Gaara's attention snapped back on the wall, glaring at it as if it was really the wall's fault.

He didn't know why he had felt the need to vent his frustrations on that protective wall, even if part of him considered it a representation of the idealistic protection the village expected from him.

Why the wall instead of the civilians and shinobi? In the past, he would have attacked them instead, without thinking twice about it.

"I heard the Councillors of the village talk…" he murmured, so quietly it passed almost unheard. "They want to make me Kazekage".

Despite the tone, barely a whisper, Naruto heard his words, and for once, was left utterly speechless.

Kazekage. They wanted to make Gaara the Kazekage.

Blood rushed into his ears, making him blink in shock, questions filling his mind. Why wasn't Gaara looking happy about that? He should have been honoured… he was being offered something Naruto would give his life to gain.

"Is it… for real?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly.

Gaara nodded. On his own, he was too focused on the way he was speaking with the other teen –almost friendly. He would have never believed he could actually have a normal conversation with someone else, but this person in front of him… he made Gaara do things that otherwise, he would never do.

Like speak.

And he had touched him –twice.

And now Gaara had used the word 'friendly' to describe their speech.

Naruto was left speechless, but he knew that Gaara was not lying –for the redheaded Jinchuuriki lying would be useless.

Naruto wanted to feel envious, jealous, because Gaara had been offered what Naruto had dreamed about ever since he could remember; and the Sand shinobi seemed to loath that offer instead of appreciate it.

He wanted to be angry. He wanted to be offended…

But he wasn't.

Instead, Naruto felt happy.

He was happy, because Gaara deserved it, and because, deep down, he knew that this was the perfect choice. No one else would agree with him, knowing the redhead, but Naruto just _knew_ it.

"Gaara, that's… that's awesome!" he yelled, grabbing the other teen by the arm. "Kazekage, huh? Wait, do I have to call you Kazekage–sama now? No way! Oh, but that means you have to give me free ramen, big boss!"

Gaara backed away from him instantly, shocked again by how easily Naruto had touched him, and his sand mask returned to cover his face almost fully, hiding the way his eyes had widened underneath.

Naruto pouted. "What? Come on, do a favour to a soon–to–be–colleague! I'm going to be the next Hokage, you know. I thought that being friend with the big boss would give me at least a discount?" he winked at him, completely at ease with the other Jinchuuriki, and stared expectantly at him.

Totally lost, Gaara could only stare at him, freezing in shock as Naruto used the word 'friend' to define their… whatever they were.

In all his life, he'd never heard anyone call him their friend before.

"Friend?" he asked. The word sounded foreign to his ears.

Naruto's eyes flashed with sadness, and Gaara felt like someone had punched him in the chest. "What? Aren't we friends? I thought we were, Gaara".

Impossible –Gaara couldn't believe it. This guy, this Jinchuuriki, Uzumaki Naruto… considered him a friend? Of all people, _him_?

"_You are a monster… you are nothing short of a demon. Everybody hates you, you are worthless… why would anybody want to spend time with you?"_

"… why?" his voice sounded strained even to his own ears. He was having trouble keeping his calm façade, and again, the whispers of Shukaku in his mind melted together with the memories of what people used to yell at him.

He was lying. Surely, he was…

"Aren't you scared by me?"

Naruto slowly shook his head. Maybe before, when he hadn't known Gaara, he might have been scared of him, but not now. Not after their fight, not after knowing that they were the same.

He had cried for the redhead. He had shared that loneliness, and had cried for him because Gaara had not been able to.

Taking away all his tears… Naruto had cried for him instead.

And if Gaara found it hard to smile now, then Naruto would smile for him, too, and show him how lucky he was.

"Gaara, I consider myself lucky in having you as a friend," he assured.

The redhead continued staring at him, confused.

Friend.

Uzumaki Naruto wanted to be his friend… no, Uzumaki Naruto considered himself his friend _already_.

Naruto smiled sheepishly, continuing with a soft "in a way, we are similar".

"We are _not_ similar," Gaara replied, eyes narrowed. There was a hint of warning in his voice. "I am a demon".

Naruto felt a wave of anger fill him; they had tried to call him a demon, but Naruto had never let those words hurt him. Gaara had nobody to go to, and had slowly started considering himself what everybody else called him –a monster.

"You are not a demon! You are a _vessel_! You and Shukaku are not the same thing!" Naruto assured heartedly. "Don't let them make you _believe_ that!"

There were two opposite emotions fighting within Gaara's mind. One was harbouring hope –Naruto always spoke with his heart in one hand, which meant he believed in every single word he'd said– but the other was anger, again.

_He didn't want Naruto to be his friend._

Staying at his side would only make the blond teen get hurt. They would hate him just as much as they hated Gaara, and that… he didn't want that to happen to the only person who had treated Gaara as a person, and not as a mindless weapon.

"Gaara…" Naruto gently shook his head and reached forwards, but the other teen moved away, so as not to be touched. "Please, listen to me. I know that… I know that it hurts. Opening up, I mean… but… don't throw away this chance to be happy. Friends exist to share the pain".

Trembling, Gaara backed away from him again.

"You are not the demon," Naruto repeated, eyes burning in rage. "The demon is sealed away," once again he reached forwards, and this time he grabbed Gaara's wrist in a steely grip. "He is sealed within you… and… I know he whispers things to you. But doesn't that show you how the two of you are different? He lied to you, he used you… and even now, he's the cause of all of your pain… but that doesn't make you a demon, Gaara…"

Meeting those blue eyes, so filled with determination and raw strength, Gaara felt like he couldn't move. There was so much pain reflected in Naruto's eyes. The same pain, but confronted differently.

"They hate me too, you know," Naruto confided. "You might not believe me, but I've been hurt and despised too… but you want to know a secret?" Naruto's lips twitched into a small smile. He lowered his voice. "I can't hate them. I tried. Konoha is where I was born. It hurt me a lot, but I still want to protect it… because I know what all the people who died to protect it felt… I love my village and I will do anything to keep it safe".

Almost forgotten, the sand covering Gaara's face slowly fell down. Naruto was speaking with his heart again, but he could not understand…

"You do understand, Gaara," Naruto replied, almost as if reading his mind. "You didn't go on a rampage against your village, right? You came _here_".

Denying the accusation, Gaara tried to have Naruto let him go. "No," he stated, but was filled with shame when his voice was not as steady as before.

Naruto looked at him smugly, the foxy smirk back on. "They despised you. They still do. You have very few that respect you. And it is _hard_ to make people respect you… I know. I'm still trying, and it will take a long time. But… this is exactly what you need. A challenge. You can show them that you are not a monster. You can share them that you really care, and they won't be able to find anything against you".

How could someone like Naruto be so trusting? How could he be so sure that Gaara loved his village, the same place that hurt him over and over…? No, something was wrong in the way Naruto was thinking.

You don't… you _can't_ love something that _hates_ you.

Naruto was scratching his head and was laughing. Green eyes focused solely on him, watching, observing, trying to _understand_. But Gaara and Naruto came from two different worlds, and the first could not understand the second.

The red head could not _get_ what Naruto was implying. He could not believe that Naruto had been through the same as him, and obviously he didn't believe in his words, not at all.

It made no sense. How could he show care to the people who turned him into the monster they claimed him to be?

Nonsense. Impossible. Foolish.

Naruto noticed the way Gaara was staring at him, and sighed. He still didn't understand. Naruto himself wasn't sure how to explain what he felt, because it was true that the villagers of Konoha had treated him like shit since day one, but…

But he never hated them. He didn't even hate the shinobi who tried to kill him. his sanity, his emotional system were broken many times, but he had never been able to hate them. He had the gift to be able to understand what they felt, because the demon had destroyed their houses, their families, killing their precious people.

That was why he had never blamed any of them for the hatred.

They were simply confused. Lost. Just like he was.

They were trying to live with it, and learn how to let go.

And that was why he wanted to prove them wrong –he was not Kyuubi. He loved them. He wanted to protect them.

Naruto didn't even hate the man who had sealed Kyuubi within him –the Yondaime. How could he? The man had given his life to protect Konoha. They were shinobi, the fourth Hokage had simply done what he thought was best.

Maybe at first Naruto had resented him, blamed everything on that man… but slowly he had grown to accept it.

"The demon was sealed within you in order to give you a powerful weapon. It wasn't meant to make you a monster. You were chosen to protect, and that I what I believe," Naruto smiled again, conveying everything he felt into that single smile.

Gaara felt another wave of rage and discomfort hit him; seeing Naruto like that… it was disconcerting. Irritating.

"What makes you think I love my village? They think I am a _monster_! They forced me to _become_ a monster! There has never been anything else but hatred for me, how could you understand? You, with your smiles and your _pathetic_ beliefs!"

Instead of taking it as an insult, Naruto only smiled more. "I understand because I am just like you. The Fourth Hokage sealed Kyuubi no Kitsune in me, Gaara".

With these words, Gaara felt the bitter taste of defeat as he stared in shock at the other teen. Naruto was still smiling, and that smile was not fake.

They didn't speak any more after that, staring at each other, sharing something that wouldn't have been shared with mere words.

Acceptance.

Knowledge.

And friendship.

"_I want to be your friend, too…"_

…–…–…–…

Jiraiya was still moping in front of the Kazekage building when Gaara returned.

The white haired man had been busy thinking about many things, including what the Councillors of Suna had told him, and Akatsuki, and what that would mean for both Jinchuuriki.

His information on the organization regarding their decision to lay low for three years had seemed reliable, and then Naruto had almost been abducted by them once.

Now, that same info seemed to hold true, much like finding out that Orochimaru had taken another host and would not try to get Sasuke's body for at least three more years, but he was still worried.

Now, with Suna trying to force Gaara into protecting the village, and Jiraiya taking Naruto under his care, at least two Jinchuuriki were safe, depending on whether the fact that Akatsuki wouldn't attack for three years was real or not.

Jiraiya, despite having dropped Naruto off by himself, was still keeping tabs on him, and he had thought hard before leaving him behind, making certain there was no danger for him.

Besides, coddling Naruto was not his style, and the blond teen would refuse to be coddled too –he wanted to grow strong, and Jiraiya would help him get there, also showing that he cared for his wellbeing.

And whatever Itachi had showed him with his Tsukiyomi… well, Jiraiya would show the teen that nothing of it had been real. He would help Naruto return to his usual bright, happy self, no matter what.

Jiraiya cared for Naruto, and his will to help him wasn't dictated by the fact that the teen was the legacy of his prized student; while Naruto was his father's son, and they were similar in many things, they were still vastly different.

Naruto could easily catch the hearts of the people he met, something he had in common with his mother…

She'd been such a beautiful woman, cheerful and sweet and caring…

Shaking his head, Jiraiya smiled sadly; it would do him no good to focus on that. The past was the past, and one day, he would tell Naruto everything about his parents… when the time was right.

Jiraiya felt two chakra flares coming his way and blinked up, surprised; he hadn't counted on Naruto arriving in Suna for at least three more days, given his speed, but there he was… and what was more surprising, Gaara was with him, too.

The redheaded Jinchuuriki was walking calmly, face emotionless, eyes focused in front of him, but it was Naruto's attitude that attracted Jiraiya's attention the most.

The blond teen was bouncing in circles around the other, smiling and even laughing, and he was happily chatting about something that Jiraiya couldn't hear but that seemed to irritate Gaara a bit…

And yet, Jiraiya chuckled inwardly, because he could see how Gaara was valiantly keeping his face carefully blank, but his lips were twitching upwards every now and then. The way Naruto's eyes brightened up only meant the blond was aware of that, too.

Jiraiya couldn't believe what he was seeing –when they had left Konoha, he had thought that Naruto looked depressed… he was silent, quiet and thoughtful. He had lost his house, he had fallen under Itachi's Genjutsu, and he had seen his best friend attack him and then betray his village…

Yes, Jiraiya had been sure Naruto was a train wreck. And now… he wasn't sure about that anymore.

He was so used to seeing Naruto bright and cheerful and clueless about what was around him that he had been sure the attitude had shifted out of emotional pain delivered by Itachi.

Had he been wrong?

Naruto's nose twitched and he turned around, spotting Jiraiya next to the entrance of the Kazekage building, and he waved at him, looking definitely pleased with himself.

"Oi, Ero–sennin!" he called out, leaving the redhead's side to run towards him. The sand user followed him at a more sedated pace, and as Jiraiya looked at him, Gaara met his eyes with a flash of defiance before his expression was schooled back to one of indifference.

"Naruto, I wasn't expecting you to arrive already," Jiraiya admitted, staring down at his student. "Did you travel at night too instead of resting?"

Naruto had that look, the one that spelled 'I know something you don't', and he smiled smugly, winking up at his sensei. "I know you were cheating, Ero–sennin… you were using chakra to move faster, so I did it too!"

For a moment, Jiraiya simply stared down at him. Yes, he had used chakra to enhance his jumps, making himself faster, but even if Naruto had thought about that use, he shouldn't have been able to get there so quickly anyway –it might have helped him get there a day earlier than what Jiraiya had planned, but not three.

Once again, Naruto had managed to surprise him. He opened his mouth to inquire about what kind of chakra boost he'd given his legs to be able to get there so fast, but Naruto beat him, speaking first.

"Ne, Ero–sennin, Kazekage here will buy me food now, so see you later, ok? Then I can amaze you with my skating jutsu!" with a thumbs up, Naruto grabbed Gaara's arm and started pulling the other teen down the street, babbling about ramen.

'_Wait, did he just call Gaara…'_ Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock.

As the two teens disappeared behind a few buildings, Jiraiya chuckled incredulously and scratched the back of his head, feeling utterly defeated. Naruto was… really, Naruto was something else.

It looked like Naruto had another person to care for, and Sabaku no Gaara had joined the ranks of the ones Naruto had befriended.

With a proud smirk, Jiraiya turned his attention to the Kazekage tower, and his smirk turned almost evil. "I hope this village is ready… the next Kazekage is not going to take it easy at all…"

Then, Jiraiya stretched his back. "Well, we might as well stay here for another day or so… tomorrow we'll start this journey for real, but until then…" he glanced at a passerby, smiling happily. "Hey, listen, do you know where the closest onsen is?"

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** another chapter has ended. Please review if you liked it! Reviews make me really happy, and they boost my ego. Happy SOY means more chapters, ok?

Onsen – hot springs or common bath. It usually is divided in two parts, one for males and one for females. Some are unisex, though… Jiraiya loves those.


	9. Captured

**Edited:** 23/04/2011

**Thanks to ****all the reviewers!**

**StarsOfYaoi****:** this chapter's title gives away the contents, ne? still, I had promised some action and here you have it. There is a time skip of two years, too, please remember that.

We're finally getting to the good parts, or at least, we're getting close to the good parts. Please enjoy the ride!

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 09: Captured**

Dark.

It was dark all around him, so dark it was hard to believe he was awake now; when his eyes fluttered open, he could see nothing, absolutely nothing, and there wasn't much difference between keeping his eyes close or open.

Swallowing, feeling a disgusting, metallic taste in his mouth and wishing for some water, Naruto blinked feeling disorientated; if he had enough strength to lift one hand up to his eyes, he was sure he wouldn't even be able to see it.

This darkness was wrapped around him like a tight, oppressive blanket.

For a moment, he thought he had finally died; he had never thought much about the afterlife, but if that was it, it meant the underworld was silent, dark and cold.

Slowly, he tried to understand where he was; he had nothing that could help him, as he still couldn't see anything, and his body felt weak and heavy, barely able to open his eyes, let alone move.

He blinked again and tried to shift, but the slightest movement sent an agonizing twinge through his body and into his brain, blinding him and causing his lungs to constrict.

He gasped, the sound echoing strangely around him, and stilled again.

There was pain, and his heart was painfully racing in his chest, and he had difficulties breathing, and he couldn't see anything, but… at least he was conscious again.

Slowly and hesitantly, Naruto twitched his fingers, feeling something cold and stony under his body; he was lain on the ground, uncomfortable and sore, and his eyelids were heavy, demanding him to succumb to sleep again, but he did not allow himself to fall unconscious again –he had to understand where he was first.

For a moment more, his sluggish brain could not comprehend what was going on, but then, with a jolt, he finally remembered –and then he wished he hadn't.

Mind clouded by dread and fear gripping him tightly, Naruto gasped and his eyes, previously half lidded, snapped open wide, nostrils filled with the horrid, disgusting stench of blood. He was covered with the thick liquid, and he knew that most of that was his own.

Assessing the damages done to his body came next.

His lungs were having a hard time taking in air, and the way his side hurt meant he had probably a broken rib, and his chest hurt like hell –but he was still alive and in no danger of imminent death.

Naruto snorted, but even that small movement caused pain, so he sighed and tried to keep still.

He felt like he had been used as a punching bag for days in a row, and maybe he was right… he couldn't remember anything from when he received the slash in his chest –the one that made his lungs hurt and the source of all the blood on him– up until now, so… who knew how much time had passed?

So, that was how it was –after all his efforts, all his hard work…

He had failed.

He gently bit his lip, concentrating through the pain in his head to try and understand where he was, but the complete darkness had dulled all of his other senses –after all, despite his enhanced abilities, he was not a bat.

His gasp had echoed before, so maybe he was in some kind of large chamber or something.

His throat itched and he gave in and coughed, but instantly regretted it as pain slashed through him, body convulsing as he spit blood all over himself and gurgled on it.

For a long while, he heaved with his head thrown on one side, dizzy and weak, and his lungs fought a losing battle to keep working.

Finally the coughs subsided and he stilled, breathing heavily as he waited for his body to stop throbbing.

Shit –he could barely move, and it hurt… even breathing hurt… how was he supposed to find out where he was?

As last resort, Naruto concentrated on his chakra, but that attempt also failed when a sharp pain crackled through his body, making him cry out in shock; he tensed up, and felt something wrapped around his wrists.

Concentrating on the sensation, and gently probing his body with chakra, receiving once again the same jolt of pain, Naruto came to a sudden realization –someone had placed wards on his ankles and wrists.

Jiraiya had explained him about wards –they were used to prevent chakra usage… so he was completely defenceless.

'_Fuck!'_

Even though he could not use chakra, he was still aware that he was not alone in the dark. He could feel chakra signatures flaring around him, some powerful, some dulled out, but all the same, they felt dangerous to him.

All the chakra signatures around him were somehow linked to his body, and washed all over him in a spiralling pattern, concentrating themselves on his belly.

Freezing as he finally understood, Naruto hastily counted the different flares.

There were nine.

_Nine_.

In that instant, Naruto knew that he was done for.

Up until then, he had hoped against hope that he had been dreaming –or that all of this was simply a Genjutsu– but now he had to finally admit the cold, harsh truth.

Akatsuki had finally managed to capture him.

–**Start Flashback–**

"Come on, Ero–sennin, stop playing dumb with me, damn it. I've gotten stronger after all!"

Jiraiya massaged his forehead with one hand, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, then he finally sighed in defeat.

Naruto's manners hadn't changed much during the last two years, really.

Well, no, that wasn't true; the white haired shinobi had to admit that Naruto had truly matured during their travelling together, he was quieter, and even more thoughtful… but there were times when the blond teen would say something or act in a way that reminded his perverted sensei that Naruto was, in the end, still Naruto.

As he was doing now.

The two had spent the whole morning sparring together, without taking a break –that alone was something that would have been impossible when they had started the journey, two years before– and without warning, Jiraiya had found himself on the receiving end of a direct blow from his apprentice that he had not been able to foresee, nor block in time.

This fact was so unprecedented that it had shocked not only him, but also Naruto, who had promptly stopped their fight to bounce around, extremely proud of himself.

Jiraiya had even thought to praise the blond teen about that, seeing as with the way he had started, when they had met for the first time, Jiraiya wouldn't have expected him to get so much better… but then, had decided not to say anything.

Unfortunately, Jiraiya was still not used to complimenting people, not knowing how to do it properly –he had only ever praised one person, and he was gone now. He didn't want to think about him– so all he managed was a gruff "There's still a long way to go if you want to really be able to land a good one on me".

That, of course, had Naruto's happiness dim as his eyes filled with rejection. He had gotten better during these years, but Jiraiya always had a hard time admitting that, let alone express it loudly.

Shaking his head again, Jiraiya leaned forwards and ruffled Naruto's hair affectionately. "Not bad, though," he muttered, embarrassed, but even that hesitation disappeared as he noticed Naruto's blue eyes brighten up at his compliment.

'_I am very proud of you, Naruto,'_ Jiraiya smiled. One day, he would be able to tell him that.

"Well then, sensei, let's go get some ramen to celebrate! And you pay, ok?" the blond sprinted down the hill they had been sparring on, smiling as he stomped towards the nearby village.

Chuckling at his apprentice's attitude, Jiraiya cracked his back and sighed, nodding. How could Naruto be so sure that there would be a ramen stand in the village, he didn't know, but for the sake of his finances, he hoped Naruto was wrong.

The teen was almost gone from his sight already, once again probably using the jutsu he had 'created' two years before when chasing Jiraiya to Suna, and Jiraiya followed him at a more sedated pace.

Naruto was fast, he could admit that –he had mastered his 'skating jutsu', even though he had yet to come up with a satisfying name, but he was fast on his own, even without it.

Maybe it was in his blood, or maybe it was somehow Kyuubi's influence on his body, but Naruto's speed could even rival with Yondaime's, and even Jiraiya had trouble catching up now if the blond put himself to it.

'_He is stronger now, yes,'_ the man thought, amusedly following the blond blur. _'He's determined and eager to learn, and I was wrong in thinking he was slow. He's never had someone that could properly teach him anything, making sure he was training the right way, but now that someone is paying attention, he's really advancing in giant leaps…'_

Jiraiya smiled again, feeling rewarded for all the hardships they had gone through.

'_Naruto is a genius in his own special way…'_

They reached the village in no time. The town was not that big, but had enough to satisfy both of them; there was only one hotel, and one of those places where someone like Jiraiya could find some entertainment.

He had tried to take Naruto there once, on his fifteenth birthday, but the blond teen had rushed out of it, cheeks aflame, and had then ranted at Jiraiya for two days afterwards, half in shame, half in disgust.

As expected, Jiraiya found Naruto sitting in a small ramen stand, already waiting for his bowl with an expectant smile, and the older man had to groan.

He just wished those damned ramen stands would disappear from sight –he couldn't spend an unhealthy amount of money every time they reached a town! He'd end up broke!

"Oi there, Ero–sennin, you're late!" Naruto snapped his chopsticks apart as the owner of the stand placed down the bowl in front of him, and after a quick "Itadakimasu!" he quickly slurped down on his food, making content noises as he swallowed.

Jiraiya quickly averted his eyes –there was something else that hadn't changed, and that was the way Naruto ate ramen. Looking at him was enough for the man to lose his appetite.

"One miso," he ordered sitting down next to the blond.

As the two of them ate in silence, Jiraiya wondered how the village was fairing.

They had been gone for two years already, and Jiraiya, in order to keep their profiles low, had not allowed Tsunade to reply to any of his letters, sent via toad to inform the Hokage about Naruto's progresses.

The woman had been resolute on that matter, wanting to know how Naruto was.

Tsunade could really pull off the mother part well, when she applied herself to it…

Travelling around had helped Naruto a lot, and not just him –Jiraiya himself felt refreshed now that he had someone to travel with, instead of doing it all by himself, like in the past.

The teen had blossomed greatly in strength, speed and chakra control, learning many things from the people the two had met through their travelling –samurai, retired shinobi, simple civilians…

After five bowls of ramen, Naruto was forced to stop, feeling the intense glares coming from his sensei at his side; sighing gloomily, he nodded and followed the perverted Sannin out of the stand.

"Are we moving South now?" he asked, staring at the clouds that were quickly covering the sky. "It smells like incoming rain… I wouldn't want to end up like a drowned cat".

Jiraiya smirked knowingly, "Don't worry, brat. The city we are heading off to is not too far away, and you will get to a warm bed before sunset".

With a shrug, Naruto nodded and followed him as they moved out of the village.

The air was heavy, and Naruto could sense the increase in humidity, a prelude of the incoming rain; he shivered, glancing around. He felt like something else was coming, but he couldn't understand what… the day had been rather quiet so far, after all.

Naruto clutched his jacket around his body, suddenly feeling cold; the temperature wasn't that low yet, and it wasn't even winter yet, and still, he had a bad feeling.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto bit his lips and ignored it; he usually ended up moody during rainy periods, something he had probably inherited from the fox he had inside, so maybe this bad feeling was just another stupid bad mood.

Shrugging it off, Naruto continued following his sensei as they quickly moved towards the mountains.

…–…–…–…

Jiraiya had been looking forwards to showing Naruto the Tsuchi no Kuni.

The two had been travelling in there for the last two months, and were currently moving towards Iwagakure, the capital; the Earth Country was really wonderful, and every town or city they had passed through had been astonishing in beauty and majesty.

Contrariwise to the common belief that Earth Country was an arid place made of rocks and mountains, every place the two had visited had been beautiful.

There were plants that were foreign in the Fire country, animals Naruto had never seen before living in the forests, and the landscape was never plain –there were hills and vast lands, and the beauty of the mountain passes was astounding.

The two travellers were moving South from a small village towards Iwa, because Jiraiya was sure that the capital of the country would stun Naruto with its beauty; it was, by far, the biggest city out of all the Elemental countries, four times bigger than Konoha, and there was much to see in there.

It was also the village of residence of the Tsuchikage, and some of the best sealing masters were from that city.

Unfortunately, the two never reached the city; as they were moving up the mountain pass, stopping to gather some water from a nearby stream, trouble fell upon them all of sudden.

The first to feel the incoming danger was Jiraiya; he was more experienced, and felt the incoming chakra almost immediately, recognising it instantly as a threat.

There were two chakra signatures approaching quickly, and both of them were only mildly concealed, not nearly enough to hide their presence completely –it almost felt as if they didn't need to hide themselves.

Dread gripping him from the inside, Jiraiya froze, recognising whom the signatures belonged to.

"Naruto!" he called out.

The blond teen stopped, and Jiraiya saw him tense as he finally felt the incoming chakra flares.

"Is it…" Naruto turned towards him, fear flickering in his orbs, and the older man could only nod, equally tense.

Jiraiya knew that Naruto had a good reason to be afraid; they hadn't expected an attack this early, after two years of relative calm, and they had been found despite their carefully erased traces…

"Akatsuki," he murmured, his tone dark.

And there they came.

Naruto quickly scanned his surroundings; they were standing in a large meadow where they would not be hindered by trees or rocks, and they were close enough to a thick spot of forest where he could run to if he needed to make an easy escape.

Unfortunately, they were also close to a stream, and Naruto knew that one of the two enemy ninja was specialized in water techniques.

As it was, Naruto knew that he would never equal a member of Akatsuki in power –especially when the opponent was Itachi– and Jiraiya had taught him that running away was the only option. Disregarding his pride for his life was not a shame.

Naruto hesitated.

At least, he could try keeping his grounds for a bit. If he ran away right away, they would catch up with him far too easily.

One last glance at the meadow, then Naruto concentrated his chakra in his feet, preparing himself for the fight.

Then, they appeared in front of them, chakra flaring up all of sudden.

Naruto's eyes narrowed instantly as his entire body tensed, stiffening and taking a step back as he stared at the two Akatsuki members that were now standing there.

As expected, one of them was Uchiha Itachi, Naruto's personal hunter and the one person Naruto didn't know where to place.

The other one was Hoshigaki Kisame, the shark–looking man. Naruto had learned his name thanks to Jiraiya's information on him, but he still privately referred to him as Shark–guy.

Still, Naruto's eyes were mainly on Itachi.

During the last two years, as he trained himself and grew stronger, applying himself, Naruto had been able to think a lot, too. He had thought about Sasuke and the Snake bastard, coming up with various plans on how he would take the younger Uchiha back to Konoha. He had thought about his promise to Sakura, and how he was doing his best.

And then, he had also thought about the older Uchiha.

His trip to the Uchiha compound had left him with a lingering sense of dread, something bugging him about the clan, the feeling of that place, and the slate standing in Sasuke's room.

The more he thought about Itachi, the more he wanted to understand what was going through in that man's mind.

Why had he slaughtered his clan? His words about hatred hid something, but Naruto, for how much thought he put on it, still couldn't understand.

He had not been able to shake the curiosity away from his mind, and he wanted to understand.

He had never spared a thought about what Itachi had done to him that night, the Tsukiyomi, he hadn't thought about what he would do if he ever saw the man in person again.

But now that Itachi was standing right in front of him, Naruto's mind was blank.

While Naruto knew he had changed a lot during the last two years, the older Uchiha didn't seem like he had changed at all; he was still tall, with long, silky hair, as black as death, tied in a low ponytail that swayed in the breeze.

He still wore the Akatsuki cloak, somewhat making him look regal and imposing, while on his companion it simply looked like a normal clothing, his frame hidden beneath the black mantle.

What really attracted Naruto's attention, though, were Itachi's eyes. Crimson like blood, with his Sharingan activated, they were as captivating as they had been during their last encounter on the borders of Konoha.

And just like back then, they were cold and emotionless.

Not sure why he found those eyes captivating –deep, focused yet revealing nothing– Naruto was unable to look away –there was something about them he was determined to unravel.

A memory was trigged in the blond teen's mind –a photo in Sasuke's room, back in Konoha, the one with the whole family reunited together, all of them smiling… that photo from before the massacre. Before their lives were shattered into a million pieces.

That Itachi and this one… past and present…

How would this Itachi look like with a smile?

Would this Itachi be as successful at tricking people as his younger self had been, or would he be unable to fake warmth now?

Would he look different with a smile?

Shaking his head, Naruto quickly looked away, remembering where he was. He shouldn't have locked eyes with Itachi, knowing what had happened last time he had done that.

The pain, flashes of his past, voices–

"_Monster!"_

He dispelled that thought quickly. He had grown stronger thanks to Itachi's attack, those words were not painful anymore.

"Naruto!" a voice called out. "Don't rush into battle –this is not something to face carelessly!"

Naruto's eyes searched for his sensei while keeping Itachi in the range of his vision. "I'll do what I can, Ero–sennin," he reassured his teacher.

Jiraiya, face grim, nodded. "If things get bad, just run up the mountain. Iwagakure is just a few miles from the pass. You will be protected there, and with your speed, you can make it".

Naruto hummed, then returned his full attention on the two unmoving figures. What was he supposed to do now…?

He didn't have any more time to ponder over it, because Kisame suddenly moved, attacking them.

Drawing his still wrapped sword from his back, the shark–man set his sights on Naruto, eyes gleefully glinting at the thought of causing some blood to spill, but was quickly blocked by Jiraiya, who positioned himself in front of the Kiri nuke–nin.

Kisame growled and swung his sword hard, but the elder shinobi evaded the blow and kicked the other man right in the chest, carefully avoiding being too close to the blade. Kisame went flying across the meadow, and Jiraiya jumped up to follow him.

Soon enough, the two were exchanging blows, with Jiraiya paying attention to Samehada and only doing mid–range attacks.

That, unfortunately, left Naruto to face Itachi.

Both his visit at the Uchiha compound and his last meeting with the man had Naruto fairly sure of just about how ruthless Itachi could be; not to mention that Naruto was finally starting to see a possible reason for the Uchiha's coldness, and he didn't like it.

The actual realisation came when Naruto looked at Itachi again, eyes meeting those crimson swirling Sharingan again.

"Naruto–kun," Itachi murmured, voice cool and even. "You will not escape".

At that exact moment, as if time had stilled, Naruto felt comprehension hit him.

What if… what if Itachi's words about not having enough hatred, his emotionless attitude, the coldness of his eyes… what if all of that wasn't just a lack of emotions, but something entirely different altogether?

Itachi had hated his clan enough to destroy it in the span of a single night.

That meant this hatred had been strong… too strong. Maybe strong enough to overwhelm any other emotion.

Itachi's focus had been on hatred, but he didn't seem to show that emotion anymore, as if he had been drained completely once his family had been finally gone.

In a single instant, Naruto felt a new, powerful rush of fear fill him completely.

If he was right, if Itachi's world had focused so much on his hatred that any other emotion had been suppressed completely… when that hatred had been satisfied, vanishing from him with the rest of his clan, then it had left nothing in its wake.

Once the only emotion Itachi had felt was appeased, there was nothing left for him to feel, and if that was it, then… then Itachi would stop at nothing. If he had no emotion to focus on, then he would do anything without second thoughts.

Once again, Itachi spoke with the same even tone. "You are afraid".

Naruto looked down at his hands in shock, seeing them shaking badly. Clenching his hands into fists, his nails digging into his fingers and drawing blood, Naruto forced himself to stop trembling.

He had thought that moving one step closer to understanding Itachi would make him less afraid of the other shinobi.

He had been deeply wrong.

This new insight –be it wrong or right, Naruto couldn't know, he could only trust his instincts on that– only brought forth more fear. The depths of Itachi's hatred…

As soon as he admitted that, something else flashed through his mind. A memory carved in the depths of his mind, something that had happened so long ago that he had almost forgotten about it.

_Someone_ had said, long before, that he would never let himself freeze in fear during a mission ever again –because he was a ninja.

And that someone had been him back in Nami no Kuni.

His very first mission.

He was so very afraid of Itachi, but he could not let this fear control him, or he would end up… like Sasuke.

Eyes narrowed in anger, Naruto shifted into a guarded stance, shoulders tense, preparing himself for the incoming attack; it was hard for him not to look into Itachi's eyes, but if he concentrated on his senses, he would be able to focus on the other's smell and chakra waves and try to keep aware using that.

"So we meet again, Naruto–kun," Itachi's voice had never changed in tone –low, silky and deep, yet void at the same time.

Naruto shuddered –that voice alone spoke of barely concealed danger.

He gritted his teeth, but the raven haired shinobi in front of him didn't look like he would attack anytime soon.

Not looking at his face was hard, so Naruto concentrated his attention on Itachi's arm shifting to point a finger towards him; for the first time, Naruto noticed that the other shinobi had painted nails and was wearing a ring on his finger.

It looked like the kind of ring only members of a clan wore, and it had a kanji on it, but Naruto was too far to be able to recognise which kanji it was.

"We'll ask you kindly first… come with us now, Naruto–kun," Itachi continued. Naruto almost rolled his eyes. As if.

"Fuck off," he replied, managing a tight smirk.

He felt a light prickling at the base of his neck, but didn't focus on it as he charged towards Itachi, forming a Rasengan in his right hand.

After weeks of training, he had finally mastered the attack without using a Kage Bunshin, and now he would be placing all that training to use against this dangerous opponent.

Itachi didn't move, but as Naruto hit him in the stomach, feeling barely no resistance as the attack hit its target, the teen wondered why Itachi hadn't even moved away.

He realised why only a second later, as Itachi disappeared in a cloud of smoke as he blinked; so then, it had been a Kage Bunshin, not the real one. Naruto spun around, eyes scanning his surroundings, and there he was –Itachi was standing a few feet away from him, unmoving.

He charged, twisting in midair with practiced ease and launching himself at the older shinobi, punched Itachi right on his face.

Once again, it felt tangible under his hand, but again, Itachi disappeared as the second Kage Bunshin was suddenly dispelled.

"Tch," Naruto grunted, falling on all four and looking around again.

Where was the real one?

Jiraiya had once explained to him that while Kage Bunshin was useful during certain situations, it had a major weakness –every clone only had a small percentage of the original's strength, and once hit, they would disappear.

Using it against strong opponents was just a waste of chakra as the enemy would be able to pinpoint the original among the copies anyway.

So, instead of charging as he saw another copy, Naruto tried to keep calm and analyse the meadow, tracing down the chakra flares to see where the stronger one was…

And stopped.

Something wasn't right.

Taking a split moment to analyze his surroundings, Naruto stretched all his enhanced senses. It was all too…

Quiet.

He blinked.

Where was Ero–Sennin?

As that thought clicked, Naruto finally realised what was bugging him and why he was feeling so uneasy.

The silence.

He was alone in the meadow now.

What…

The silence was almost deafening. Naruto swallowed, eerily reminded of the Uchiha compound. It had been silent there, too –_deadly_ silent…

He spun around once, tense, ready to attack and again–

In the blink of an eye, he was surrounded.

There were four Itachi around him, the Sharingan wheels swirling madly, unmoving, all staring at him.

Analyzing.

Watching.

'_I won't let him win… not this time,'_ Naruto thought fiercely.

One hand digging into his pouch, he extracted three kunai and threw them at three of the Itachi around him –the ones at his sides and the one in front of him were kid right in the chest, a little above the heart, and all three of them disappeared.

Without stopping to see that, Naruto was already twisting around without missing a beat, fingers tightly clenched around his fourth kunai, darting forwards.

Chakra swirled at his feet as he flicked his useful jutsu to charge against the remaining Itachi –the real one– with impressive speed…

He swung the kunai, and it pierced Itachi at the base of the neck –Naruto looked up, for a second meeting a pair of wide, crimson eyes.

Itachi was pushed away without offering any resistance, but as the body flew through the air, almost as if at a slow pace Naruto saw it _flicker_.

He blinked, and what he saw next had him take a step back in shock.

Itachi's figure was blurred, the cloak moving, fluttering, flickering strangely, as if…

Itachi disappeared, his frame scattered in pieces, and each piece was a single raven. They all flapped their wings, cawing as they flew high in the sky as Naruto watched, unable to understand.

The crows darted at him, flying all around him in a blur of black wings and feathers–

In the complete silence, their loud cawing was almost overwhelming, and unbearable, as was their flapping.

It echoed around him, above him, even _inside_ him.

Naruto clenched his fists, eyes still focused on the animals surrounding him, waiting to see if they would attack him.

His shoulders tense, his breath accelerated, his heart racing in his chest… all his body was fixed on preventing an attack, eyes wide, focusing on each and every one of the ravens… but the birds didn't attack; instead, after circling him once more, they reunited above his head.

They seemed to melt under his gaze, and some of them reformed Itachi's body, now levitating above him. other crows cawed, still flying everywhere in the meadow.

Against the grey clouds signalling the approaching rain, the black of the ravens was visible and plain, like a million dots on a greyish page.

'_Kuso!'_ Naruto cursed inwardly.

He knew instantly that he had been fooled. He had been stupid.

"This… this is a Genjutsu," he murmured. "How… without even looking at him in the eyes…" he gritted his teeth again, this time in frustration. How could he have been such an idiot?

He had let it happen.

The floating Itachi, surrounded by the cawing ravens, stared down at the uneasy blond, crimson meeting blue again. There was no need to keep his eyes away now if he was caught in a Genjutsu already.

A second later, the birds fell silent. They were still moving, but there was no sound anymore, not even the light fluttering of wings.

Naruto blinked again.

"My eyes are not the only thing I can use to cast a Genjutsu, Naruto–kun," it was almost as if Itachi felt some kind of twisted pleasure in calling him with such an endearing suffix, even though his face remained blank.

Naruto's mind filled with anger and confusion. Itachi's next words, though, answered his unspoken question.

"A finger is more than enough, at times," Itachi concluded.

Crimson eyes narrowed slightly, and Naruto instantly stood back, defensively lifting his arms. Still, he defiantly met those pools of swirling inferno, almost as if daring the other man to use that attack on him again.

Something fleeting passed through Itachi's eyes –something similar to amusement– that went unseen by the teen.

Itachi spoke up again, tone still even. "Don't worry… I will not use the Mangekyou Sharingan against you… again…"

His tone sounded like a statement, but Naruto couldn't just go and believe him about that.

'_H__e's surely lying!'_ he growled, angered at himself for wanting to believe the man. _'I have to think of a way to break through this Genjutsu!'_

"Alright, now drop off to sleep for me," Itachi said, his hands lifting to form a seal.

Again in Naruto's mind flashed something Jiraiya had told him while passing through Kiri no Kuni.

"_When you find yourself caught in a Genjutsu, the only thing you can do by yourself is to stop and disrupt the flow of chakra in your body"._

Then the man had added something else, but Naruto's attention had already been wandering somewhere else, so he didn't remember anything else. At the time, he hadn't wanted to know how to _dispel_ a Genjutsu, merely how to _cast_ one.

Then again, after finding out just how difficult it was for him to use such techniques, Naruto had entirely given up.

Cursing inwardly his lack of attention, Naruto focused on the situation at hand again.

Clapping his hands in front of his face, Naruto gritted his teeth, and concentrated on his flow of chakra, trying to disrupt the illusion he'd been caught into.

There was an explosion of chakra around him as he tried to force more of it against the barriers trapping him, crying out loudly as he felt them resist his pushing.

Crimson calculating eyes concentrated at the display.

'_He's grown,'_ he thought, but there was no interest nor surprise in his eyes as Itachi spoke up in a low whisper, so low Naruto didn't hear, "but still… not enough".

Suddenly, Naruto found himself trapped between vines that had sprouted from the ground, pinning his arms high above his head, curling around his legs, neck, and torso, their thorns piercing his clothes and his skin, drawing blood.

Naruto stifled a pained gasp and tried to focus again on disrupting the chakra flow, but was attacked then by the ravens, who turned into shuriken as they flew at top speed towards him, slicing his body.

Naruto bit back another cry, and closed his eyes, concentrating…

"Naruto".

His eyes snapped open again to stare at Jiraiya's face.

The older man was standing in front of him, offering him one of his warm smiles. Naruto's heart skipped a beat, hoping that the man would help him come out from the Genjutsu…

His relief was short-lived.

Naruto blinked and Jiraiya lifted his right hand, showing the teen a kunai. The blond was expecting him to cut the vines away and free him, but instead Jiraiya dug the blade in his shoulder, never even faltering as he did so.

He was still smiling.

This time Naruto did cry, knowing he was still caught in the Genjutsu.

But now, his mind was reeling, and he couldn't concentrate anymore, his breath erratic, feeling not the pain of the wound, but the one inside.

He blinked.

Jiraiya was gone.

He blinked again.

Before his eyes stood Sasuke.

He was in the cursed seal form, the patterns of Orochimaru's curse all over his body, huge, inhuman wings that looked like hands sprouting from his back, black empty eyes fixed on him.

Sasuke was smirking –the sight was far too familiar.

"I've waited so long to finish what I started," Sasuke purred, and stepping closer to Naruto he curled his fingers around the blond teen's throat, tightening his grip. "By killing you I will finally complete my revenge!"

"No!" Naruto choked, shaking his head weakly. "No!"

'_This is a Genjutsu, a Genjutsu, a Genjutsu!'_ he chanted over and over, his breath now shallow. He was slowly suffocating because of the strong grip of Sasuke's hand, but he didn't care.

This was _not_ real.

Sasuke wouldn't kill him. He knew better. Naruto knew, he _believed_ it, he still had a chance to get Sasuke back! He would not be defeated…

_Never._

"_**STOP**_!" he yelled with all the remaining strength, and with a last burst of energy, he concentrated on his chakra–

An explosion, a blinding light, and then…

He blinked.

His senses were flooded again with life. Noises. The trees shaking in the wind, the noise of Jiraiya fighting against Kisame somewhere at his right. His heart thumping wildly in his chest as he coughed and gasped for air–

No wounds on his body.

No Sasuke choking him, strangling him.

He shuddered as he saw Itachi still unmoving in front of him, staring at him. All of it had happened only in his mind. It had been just a second, when inside the Genjutsu it had felt like hours.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling the ghost–pain of Sasuke's hands on it and then took a deep, shuddering breath, his hand slowly gracing the spot Sasuke had been holding.

It had felt so real.

He glared at the Uchiha genius, feeling a wave of anger fill him as he gritted his teeth. Itachi had used Sasuke against him, knowing that it would work better than Jiraiya had…

But at least Naruto had been able to dispel the Genjutsu all by himself, and now… the real fight would begin.

On his own, Jiraiya was fighting with Kisame on equal grounds, each of them landing a few blows before resuming their defensive stances.

It didn't take long for Jiraiya to realize that his opponent was trying to lure him further away from Naruto, so he tried to move back to the meadow. Unfortunately, he found himself almost trapped into a water trap and had to keep moving in order to avoid getting caged down.

He hoped that Naruto would know when to stop and run if things were to get complicated.

…–…–…–…

He lunged forwards.

Itachi watched him approach with the same emotionless face, just as mysterious as always, but Naruto swore he'd seen a trace of something flash through that indifference anyway.

This time using it outside of the Genjutsu, Naruto formed a Rasengan into one hand, pushing a large amount of chakra into it, preparing to fight, and thrust his hand forwards, meeting with thin air as Itachi shifted away, his black cloak flapping in the wind.

Naruto missed, keeping the chakra in his palm still swirling and preventing it from disappearing.

Quick, he continued to attack, shifting onto the side and following Itachi. He wouldn't have any other chance if he faltered now.

Senses alert, he kept on attacking again and again–

Only to grow more and more annoyed as Itachi continued evading him.

Easily sidestepping, never even once blocking or shielding away from one of his attacks.

He just could not hit him –not even once.

Every punch and kick was evaded skilfully, and Naruto found himself panting hard after only a few minutes, but he just wasn't going to stop. He had a high stamina and a huge amount of chakra to back him up, and he was _not_ going to give up.

So he continued attacking, allowing his body to react in time with his instincts instead of thinking about what he was doing.

In no time at all, the two shinobi were blurs as both increased their speed, one to attack, the other to avoid –it almost felt like they were dancing instead of battling for life.

He didn't know for how long he continued keeping up, but after one last blow, as Itachi once again moved out of reach, Naruto kept still, allowing himself a few moments to calm down his nerves and think things out.

This was pointless.

Useless.

He could _not_ win.

"You have become stronger, Naruto–kun… but not enough to win… nor to escape".

The words barely registered in Naruto's mind as he tried to come up with something, anything that would help him get the upper hand–

And then, he found himself on the receiving side of a sudden and unexpected assault.

As Naruto flew straight through the hair, slamming against a tree on the other end of the meadow, the only thought he had in his mind was that he hadn't even been able to _see_ the blow.

He gasped out as he collided with the tree, sharp pain travelling through his body as he slumped down on the ground only to stand back up shakily.

The moment he was back on his feet, he was ruthlessly attacked once again.

It looked like Itachi was finally tired of playing around…

This time, he was able to see two of the blows before they hit him, but he couldn't really do nothing to prevent them, and again, he found himself flying in the air as pain exploded inside his body, the momentum sending him rolling until he stopped on the grass facedown, choking on a mouthful of blood.

He stood up again, spitting the blood on the grass, but the moment he was up, he went flying once again. As he collided against a rock, head snapping back as he spit out more blood, Naruto felt like laughing pathetically at himself.

'_This is ridiculous… he's just playing with me like a fucking ball… sending me flying around the meadow…'_

And again he stood up, refusing to back down. Not until he had energy left in his body…

This time, the blow was so strong he didn't just hit the tree, but actually _crashed through_ it, which was even more painful.

Feeling faint and dizzy, his body finally refused to stand up again, so he just remained on the grass, panting and coughing and wheezing to try to get air fill his lungs again. Some of the wounds were already healing, but he knew it was a lost cause.

For the few seconds it took to gather enough strength to stand back up, breathing through his open mouth, Itachi did not attack him.

Glancing up from the sprawled position, feeling utterly humiliated, Naruto saw the Uchiha stand close to him, merely glancing down at him with those calculating eyes of his.

Anger flaring inside him again, as Naruto stood up once more, and once more Itachi attacked, sending him away; it looked like he was waiting for him to get up again before hitting him, because, every time Naruto tried to recover whilst remaining down, Itachi didn't touch him.

'_Is this only a fucking __**game**__ for him?'_

Naruto this time did not stand again. He wanted to see what Itachi would do, and was rewarded when he felt the presence of the raven haired shinobi approach him…

Only to do absolutely nothing.

He was not attacking… just staring down at him.

"Are you finally giving up, Naruto–kun?" with the tone he'd used, Naruto was sure Itachi didn't really care about his reply.

"Of course not!" he spat, wheezing. "You fucking bastard!"

He dared to look up, and again he met Itachi's crimson eyes. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if Itachi without the Sharingan now would look as he did in that old, framed photo back in Sasuke's bedroom.

The thought was ridiculous, and Naruto banished it, ashamed he could think such things in the middle of a fight.

He knew that if he remained on the ground Itachi would cease to attack him, but he would never resort to such low means, so he rolled over and forced his body to stand back up.

Itachi moved towards him again, but now Naruto had recovered enough; chakra flashing to his feet, Naruto moved to the left and avoided the incoming punch.

'_Yes! __I evaded one of his attacks!'_ he cheered inwardly, but had to concentrate because Itachi hadn't stopped and was coming for him again. _'I have to run,'_ he realized, after evading another attack, then two, then hissing in pain as the third collided with his shoulder. _'I can't resist much longer…'_

Somehow this thought left him empty.

Maybe it was the ruthlessness coming from Kyuubi inside him, or the fact that maybe –and just maybe– he'd been hitting his head far too many times in the last few minutes to be thinking straight anymore, but he was actually enjoying the adrenaline running through his body whilst fighting against Itachi.

It was like one of his spars with Sasuke… only deadlier.

Was it so thrilling for him to be playing around with death?

But he couldn't allow himself to follow this train of thoughts; it was too dangerous to continue.

Which was why, instead of keeping on fighting a losing battle, Naruto turned around and pushed chakra in his feet, rushing away as fast as he could.

The woods were now a blur as he darted through the forest and up the mountain path, resisting the urge to boost his speed even more –he was aware that there was a limit to how much chakra he could use without toppling over, and he was getting far too close to that point already.

Around him, the world had now mixed in a whirlwind of greens and browns.

He knew he couldn't mask his own chakra from Itachi, because the Uchiha was far too experienced to be fooled by that, and using it on his feet would only call attention on him, but for once he chose speed over stealth, and continued running.

With the wind rushing on his head, running like a blur, excited at the chase although he was the prey instead of the hunter, Naruto felt once again the thrill of the danger fill him.

Part of his mind wondered what had happened to Jiraiya, and if the old man would notice Naruto was not there anymore and come to find him, or if he'd prefer to continue his fight with Kisame in order to stall at least once of his enemies.

Naruto was heading towards Iwa just as instructed, and if he managed to get there, he would be safe and Jiraiya was definitely good enough to defeat the Shark–guy and rejoin him in the city.

He was sure that he'd put at least some distance between himself and Itachi when he heard the familiar noise of running water. Soon enough he saw it –a large river that was flowing in front of him, wide and deep, and on the other end of it he saw the tall rock wall that supposedly surrounded and protected Iwa.

It looked like it was part of the mountain itself, and Naruto knew that if he managed to reach it, he would then find some Iwa ANBU or at least a Jounin that could help him buy some time against the missing–nin while he reached for the city.

Naruto landed on all fours on the ground, inches away from the raging water, and prepared to jump as high and far as he could, dispelling the chakra on his feet as he sailed through the air.

It was right when he was there, for a long second unprotected in the middle of the jump, that the blow hit him.

A searing pain shot through his left shoulder and he lost his momentum, falling down against the rock wall and slamming painfully against it, face first.

With a strangled cry he slumped down, eyes finally noticing two figures that had been previously hidden away from sight, sprawled on the ground in a pool of blood.

In shock, he recognized the outfit of the Tsuchi ANBU.

He stood up, rattled by the hit, and twisted around, eyes wide as a flare of chakra appeared behind him.

Then he looked up, a pair of crimson eyes staring down at him –so close, _too close_…

_Itachi was already there._

Naruto backed away until his back was against the wall, eyes wide in shock, no place to run…

'_I thought I had at least–'_

A charcoal black sphere appeared in Itachi's right hand, the amount of chakra moving inside it shocking Naruto to the point that he started trembling, and a second later, as black flames enveloped the sphere, Naruto watched as it was slammed right in his chest.

–**End Flashback–**

As memories of how he got there filtered through his mind, Naruto felt the double desire to laugh hysterically and cry.

So… that was it.

Just like that, Akatsuki had caught him, and they would extract the Kyuubi, and then he would die.

Naruto closed his eyes, his mind strangely blank. Maybe it was the pain, or maybe it was the shock, or the knowledge that his life had taken a turn for the worst –which unfortunately meant death– but he felt absolutely nothing.

He really didn't want to die.

Thinking about everything he would never be able to do now –his dreams, his goals… he would not see Iruka–sensei ever again, nor Kakashi–sensei nor Jiraiya, nor Tsunade…

He would not be able to keep his promises to his friends. He had promised Sakura they would take Sasuke back. He had promised Sasuke he would drag his sorry ass back in Konoha. He had promised Neji that he would help him with his clan, and then he had promised Gaara he would come back for a spar… he had promised to himself that he would become Hokage.

It was unfair… he'd never had an easy life, but this… ending it like this, so soon, without having been able to change a damn thing…

He would die without seeing his precious people ever again, he would die without having been accepted. Without having found love.

He'd wanted to become Hokage to show people he could protect them with his strength.

And now, all his life was crumbling down, simply because this organization wanted the demon he had within him.

Just the demon, not even him. It had never been him, in the end –everything had always been about Kyuubi. The cause of everything, the only thing that mattered… Naruto had just been dragged along for the ride one more time.

Without Kyuubi, Naruto would have been free, but he would have been weak, right?

He was going to die. In such a shameful way, too.

'_I don't want to die!'_

His mouth parted to yell, but the words simply didn't come out.

There was nothing he could do.

He was trapped, sealed and surrounded by nine Akatsuki members, all just as strong as Tsunade or Jiraiya, maybe even more, and this time he knew he couldn't escape.

'_I'm so sorry…__'_ fighting to keep the tears at bay, Naruto tried to keep the panic creeping around his heart away. Even if the darkness hid his face and there was no one around him that would care to see him cry, he still couldn't let himself go.

Even if he was alone, he still refused to show weakness to someone, even if that someone was just him.

_He was going to die._

Oh God. He was going to die. It was the end.

Even if now it didn't matter anymore, he still tried to be strong as panic slowly filled him despite his attempts to ignore it.

'_I'm going to die. No… no, I don't want to die… I don't want to die!'_

The chakra flares around him stabilized all of sudden. In the silence, they formed some sort of circle around him, keeping themselves away from his prone form, though, and then suddenly, there was a buzz of chakra humming around him.

The ritual to extract Kyuubi was starting.

Naruto didn't want to know what it was, or what it would do or how it worked, but he knew the last precious minutes of his life had ticked by.

He would die, and no one would come to save him…

No one.

He was alone, and fuck it –he was deeply afraid.

A sudden light flashed in the darkness, so bright and clear that Naruto yelped hoarsely as it forced him to shut his eyes close in shock, flinching away from it, but it was encompassing everything, and it didn't die out.

He groaned at the pain the movement caused him.

Underneath him, the ground was trembling and then shaking and then rumbling, as if the entire world was vibrating, and the vibrations reverberated through his body, in and out.

It was growing stronger, and his heard was tuning itself with the rumbling sound as it grew louder and louder and _closer_–

Humming and thumping and…

He could barely think above all the noise, and then he was being lifted in the air as if by a bubble of chakra, and the light dimmed away slightly, and…

And that's when the pain _really_ began.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** so this was the ninth chapter. I hope you liked. Review, if you feel like it!

Yes, before you ask… this chapter's fight was inspired by Naruto's manga, chp 259, but it quickly changed and the rest is all mine. That chapter was pure awesomesauce, and Itachi was just too damn hot.

**ENDING NOTE:** next chapter expect _**ANGST**_.


	10. Darkness

**Edited:** 25/04/2011

**Another huge thank you to all my reviewers.**

**StarsOfYaoi****:** we're already at the tenth chapter, huh? Time sure flies by.

A quick note before you read… I'm moving slowly because this is the pace I'm comfortable with. This fic has quickly shifted away from the canon storyline as more chapters were released, and while it will converge with the manga for a while, soon enough it will definitely break away from what is going on in the manga.

You probably already realised this in regards to Itachi and the Uchiha, but a lot of other things won't be seen here –such as Naruto's Sage mode, Pein, Konan…– while other things might still be mentioned or fused within the plot.

I still hope that with all the thought I put into writing this, you will still follow me in this bumpy ride.

Note: I do not know the names of Yondaime's teammates, so I just invented them. Nothing big.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 10: Darkness**

_Underneath him, the ground was trembling and then shaking and then rumbling, as if the entire world was vibrating, and the vibrations reverberated through his body, in and out._

_It was growing stronger, and his heard was tuning itself with the rumbling sound as it grew louder and louder and closer–_

_Humming and thumping and…_

_He could barely think above all the noise, and then he was being lifted in the air as if by a bubble of chakra, and the light dimmed away slightly, and…_

_And that's when the pain really began._

…–…

Jiraiya knew instantly that something was wrong.

The white haired Sannin had been fighting against Hoshigaki Kisame for a long white, trying to keep the man at bay –that chakra eating sword would surely be too much of a trouble if it got close enough to Naruto to start sucking on Kyuubi's chakra, after all– but then, all of sudden, the man stopped attacking and stilled.

Since the Toad sennin had been certain that Naruto's speed would keep him away from Itachi long enough to get to Iwagakure, he had been able to concentrate his attention solely on the swordsman… but that had ended up being a mistake.

The moment the battle against the Shark–man had turned more violent, Jiraiya had lost sight of his apprentice; he had tried to search for the teen's chakra the moment he felt it move away towards Iwa, but Kisame hadn't allowed him to move.

The Akatsuki member hadn't wanted to let him go without spilling blood first, and Jiraiya had no intention to let that happen.

And now, strangely, Kisame had stopped attacking, his sword lodged deeply into the ground, and was looking at Jiraiya with a toothy smirk; it felt so malicious that Jiraiya backed away from the other man, suddenly feeling like something was wrong.

"Seems like we've succeeded in acquiring the Jinchuuriki this time," he taunted, smirk growing even larger.

At that, Jiraiya froze, spreading his senses in search of Naruto.

He couldn't feel the teen's chakra anywhere, which meant that either Naruto had reached Iwagakure's protection, or…

"What…" the weight in his guts was growing stronger, but Jiraiya didn't allow himself to be controlled by worry. Maybe the man was just trying to get him to lower his defences…

"You underestimated Itachi–san's speed, Jiraiya–sama," Kisame chuckled, shaking his head. "Not even the vessel can match it… Naruto is in our hands now".

Neither of the men had noticed that somewhere during their fight, the dark clouds above them had finally gathered together, releasing a soft, cool rain on their heads.

As they stopped, clothes already starting to get wet, a thunder echoed in the distance, almost ominous.

Jiraiya gritted his teeth, ready to take off and search for Naruto (he shouldn't have let him out of his sight in the first place…) but then a shape emerged from the forest, and he froze.

_No, that was not possible…_

Itachi walked calmly towards Kisame, his face as usual blank, but what had shocked Jiraiya was the limp form hanging under one of Itachi's arms –Naruto.

The blond was bleeding from a wound on his chest, the red liquid dripping over Itachi's arm and onto the ground, and Naruto was obviously unconscious, his chakra reserves very low.

Itachi's crimson eyes fixed on the Sannin, who was too stunned to make a move. He couldn't believe that the Uchiha had been faster than Naruto…

"In the end, you have lost," Itachi murmured quietly.

Jiraiya's eyes, that had been staring at the motionless form of Naruto, noticing how the wound on his chest was already healing thanks to Kyuubi's influence, snapped on the elder Uchiha, glaring at him.

He felt a rush of disgust towards Itachi, as the man was holding onto the teen without care, apparently not bothered by the blood that was flowing from the gaping wound.

If anything, it looked like Naruto was a mere object in the eyes of the Uchiha man.

The Uchiha quickly lost interest in the white haired sennin and returned his attention on the unconscious body he was carrying, eyes narrowing slightly as he stared down at him.

"What a waste… he had been growing," he murmured, so softly neither of the other men heard him. despite his words, the tone was still emotionless.

Finally snapping out of his reverie, Jiraiya attacked the Akatsuki.

'_I can't let this happen, I won't let Naruto be taken away from me! I already watched my student die without being able to do anything, I won't let my apprentice die as well!'_

With this thought clear in mind, Jiraiya formed his own Rasengan in one hand, but his assault was stopped again by Kisame, who absorbed it with his Samehada, taking advantage of the sennin's rage.

Itachi merely stared at both of them emotionlessly, not even moving from his position, his eyes moving from Naruto back to Jiraiya, almost as if wondering why the man had lost his rationality because of the Jinchuuriki.

Jiraiya gritted his teeth at the loss of chakra, and had no time to counterattack, as a blow from the swordsman caught him in the jaw, sending him flying away.

Kisame swung Samehada again, this time aiming to cut the closest limb he could reach, and Jiraiya spun in midair, twisting away and managing to avoid getting his arm chopped off by the still wrapped up sword.

Using this moment of distraction to their advantage, Kisame and Itachi performed a few quick seals. With rain now copiously pouring on them –the light downpour turning into a storm– the two Akatsuki members disappeared from the battle field without a trace.

Shocked, Jiraiya took a step forwards, stretching his senses out, but there was nothing to feel anymore –Akatsuki was gone, and so was Naruto.

Left completely alone in the meadow, chakra depleted severely and body slumped in shock, Jiraiya's eyes focused on the pool of blood on the ground that he knew belonged to Naruto.

The Sannin was completely at a loss; he'd failed to protect Naruto from the organization, and now the chances he had of getting Naruto back were equal to nothing.

He had failed, utterly and completely, and the worst was, the feeling was not foreign to him.

When Orochimaru had betrayed the village, leaving in his quest for immortality, and then later on when Yondaime, despite his opposition, had sacrificed his life for the village, Jiraiya had felt the same deep, painful void in his chest.

He had closed his heart away after that, trying not to let others get close enough to hurt, but with Naruto, it had been impossible, and now…

Naruto had made Jiraiya feel like he was finally getting a chance to redeem himself for his failures, and instead he had failed again.

Once again, despite how much he was admired for his strength, Jiraiya had allowed someone he cared for be harmed, and the thought hurt more than it ever had.

He hadn't been able to take Orochimaru back, nor to make him stop craving immortality, and many had died to offer him bodies to live in.

He hadn't been able to stop Yondaime from giving up his life with the ultimate seal during the fight with Kyuubi, leaving Naruto an orphan.

He had thought that maybe… maybe by training Naruto and making him strong, he would redeem himself for his past sins, but instead he'd been foolish enough to let the Akatsuki take away the blond.

Naruto was lost to them.

'_What would you say to me now… __Minato…'_ he thought, gritting his teeth in despair.

He was ready to give up.

Standing still in the storm, ready to mourn that one more soul he had lost, Jiraiya closed his eyes and clenched his fists in anger.

How could he cope? How could he atone to his mistakes when every time he tried to, he only managed to do worse?

Jiraiya felt tears come up to his eyes, but refused to let them fall, and as he remained there, unconsciously giving up…

A long–lost memory nudged at the back of his mind, and Jiraiya's eyes fluttered open in recognition; unwanted, the memory of his very first day as a teacher filled his brain –he had been nothing but a Jounin, and yet already a Sannin in the eye of the world…

And then…

–**Start Flashback–**

Jiraiya glared onwards, standing as straight as a pole in front of what he would have to call his team for the future to come.

He didn't like the idea of training a bunch of hyper boys fresh of academy, and he really wasn't up to the challenge, either; however, his own sensei had insisted for him to comply. Jiraiya knew that with wars and whatnot, Konohagakure was in dire need of well trained, valiant shinobi, and the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had requested him to take a team, too.

After all, despite his tendencies to spy on naked women bathing and his fondness on well–written porn, his sensei trusted him and was sure of his skills.

Still, it wasn't fair of his sensei to be using him to pick up three Genin when his best friend Orochimaru was still a free Jounin. It wasn't fair.

Jiraiya was inwardly pouting at the obvious preference that Sarutobi–sensei had for the other teen, but there again, Orochimaru always had an obvious dislike towards children.

It wouldn't be past him to end up lashing out at whoever was unlucky enough to get him as an instructor out of sudden irritation.

Jiraiya shrugged; Orochimaru had been spouting evil stuff when Sarutobi had 'delicately' suggested they should become instructors, and Jiraiya had been too busy daydreaming about the book he was going to write to pay attention.

Yes, he was going to be a writer, and one day, he would be known everywhere as the best writer in the Five Countries –then he would get money, fame and babes.

Still, Orochimaru kept himself as far from Genin kids as he could, Tsunade really didn't care about them… and that left Jiraiya to take the brunt of his own sensei's demands. Stupid teammates… stupid sensei…

The three kids in front of him didn't seem like much; the girl looked bored (and was munching on a long leaf), the first of the two boys was yawning (looking like he would gladly go back to bed than stay there) and the last of the trio was staring at him with unnerving blue eyes.

They looked like… children. Well, they were children. Jiraiya didn't know how to deal with children! He was a proper adult who didn't know shit about kids, and now he was supposed to train this group of mismatched Genin?

Sarutobi–sensei was crazy. Really.

He sighed in defeat.

"My name is Jiraiya, but you can call me The Genius Hermit of Toads, Handsome Sannin Jiraiya" he muttered half heartedly. "I love women, sake, and I hate wasting my time. My dream is to publish a book for all to read. Now introduce yourselves, brats. I have better ways to keep myself occupied".

Usually, proclaiming his identity for anyone to listen would have been done on a more enthusiast tone, but all in all, he really didn't care much; he had been dragged away from his spyin… from his gathering info at the onsen by Tsunade, and he had been dropped off at the training grounds to see his students, so he really wasn't in a good mood.

_At all._

The girl sized him up and down, looking like she couldn't believe this was the Sannin everybody spoke so highly of. He really didn't look like much.

"My name is Tachibana Midori," she munched around her leaf. Her jade eyes narrowed. "I love plants. I hate demanding people. My dream is to successfully create a potion that can heal battle wounds instantly".

Jiraiya observed her carefully; he had heard of the Tachibana, they had moved to Konoha earlier that year from Kusagakure, and they were a clan specialising in plant users.

Sandaime had easily accepted the girl's mother into Konoha's ranks, but the father had heartily refused to be a ninja, preferring to keep himself occupied with preparing vials of potions for the hospital.

The boy in the middle stifled another yawn, and tried to look a little more interested as he pointed at himself, failing miserably.

"I am Yoroi Keitaro. I hate having to wake up early, and I love books. My dream is… well, I want to become a medic–nin," he admitted, fidgeting slightly.

Jiraiya lifted an eyebrow at that; Iryo–nin were usually female, since they had the best chakra control but that didn't mean that it was uncommon for a male to join their ranks. Still, this guy had probably been poke fun of for not wanting to fight, and that was why he was hesitating.

The Sannin shrugged but waved dismissively at the kid, trying to express that he had nothing against his choice in career.

Turning towards the last of the team with a bored look, Jiraiya inwardly sighed. This one was the shortest of the three, and the one who looked the youngest –Jiraiya recalled something Sarutobi–sensei had said about him being a genius and graduating earlier, but he really didn't remember what the man had been onto.

"Last is you, kiddo," Jiraiya drawled out.

"My name is Namikaze Minato," the boy sit up straighter, eyes focused on his new sensei. "I enjoy learning new techniques and I dislike being underestimated for my age".

"And Chibi–chan is the top rookie of our year," Keitaro helpfully supplied, yawning again.

Minato glared at his teammate, lips curling into a disapproving pout at the nickname he was given. Jiraiya shook his head, amused despite himself. "And your dream is…?"

Minato's eyes turned dark for a moment as his face turned serious –the look seemed kind of out of place on such a young kid, but Jiraiya reminded himself that they were in a ninja village. "I want… I want to be able to protect my precious people," he stated carefully, almost as if considering his words before speaking. "I want the village to recognise me, and for that, I want to become the new Hokage".

'_That little brat set himself up for a bumpy ride indeed,'_ Jiraiya smirked.

"You can't be serious about that, Chibi–chan," Keitaro replied, lips curling into a small smile. "You're too young and scrawny to be Hokage…" then, still in a teasing manner, he added "and you look too girly, too!"

Minato's eyes flashed in anger, but he seemed to be above petty brawls, because he did not move from his spot and simply glared at his teammate.

"I might be young now, but I'll grow up, and then… and then you'll see," he stated clearly. "No matter what everybody says… I will become Hokage, and protect this village until I die!"

Jiraiya chuckled at the self–assured tone of the kid. He really had guts, despite his scrawny, girly looks.

"Being a Hokage is boring," Midori muttered, still munching her leaf, glancing uninterestedly at her teammates. "They have too much paperwork".

"I won't be hiding away in an office… I will be in the battlefield, protecting my precious people," Minato replied in the same serious tone.

"It's not that simple, little brat," Jiraiya intervened. "Being a Hokage means you'll have to make many choices you might not like. There might be a time where you'll have to give up and someone will be hurt because of your decisions".

Jiraiya wasn't sure why he wanted to squash down this little kid's hopes –maybe because he really couldn't see him becoming Hokage, or maybe because he just wanted to rile him up a bit– but his words came out a bit too harsh, even to his own ears.

Much to his surprise, Minato's serious gaze returned to him. then, unexpectedly, he smiled.

"I know that the life of a shinobi is a hard one," he replied. "But I'll do my best to protect everybody so that I will never have to make such decision. I have faith in myself, and…" his eyes hardened "I will do anything to achieve my goal".

There was something in his eyes –determination, desire to be acknowledged– that made Jiraiya lean forwards and ruffle his blond hair almost affectionately, smiling down as the little kid protested at that action.

"Well then, brats, get up," he told them, pointing at the training grounds. "Let's start with a little test of mine to see if you have what it takes to be ninja of Konoha!"

Minato nodded at him, blue eyes set on the grounds, and his two teammates groaned at the prospect of having to train.

Jiraiya didn't exactly know why, but he was feeling full of energy now.

–**End Flashback–**

Throughout his life, Minato had proved Jiraiya that his words hadn't been just him showing off.

He had remained faithful to his nindo up until his very last moments of life, fighting to be recognised, and had died to protect his village, but foremost, what he had loved the most in the world –his little baby.

Minato had never faltered, never wavered as he fought with everything life put on his way, and he had showed his own teacher, and later in his life, his students, what it meant to be a shinobi of Konoha.

He had been more than just a shinobi –he had been a hero. Even Jiraiya's.

Clenching his fists and glaring up at the offending rain, Jiraiya allowed rage to bubble up inside him –rage rightfully addressed at himself.

'_I can't abandon Naruto when he needs me… Minato would never forgive me if I were to __give up just like that, when he kept his word until the moment he died… I wouldn't want a ghost to haunt my sleep because I wasn't a good teacher for his offspring now, would I?'_

Straightening his back, Jiraiya's eyes hardened in determination. Minato had been his prized student and now Naruto was in danger, and he would do his best to get him back.

This was just one instance where a student had taught a lesson to his sensei instead of the other way around, and Jiraiya didn't mind admitting that.

'_Don't worry, Naruto… I'm coming. Minato, I swear… I won't let you down again'._

…–…–…–…

The day in Konoha had started with a very cold temperature, but despite that, it was a sunny day.

Everything was normal, as it had been for the last two years; Konoha was buzzing with life, citizens working in their shops, walking around in the streets, and from time to time, a shadow flickered on the ground as a shinobi darted from one roof to the other.

Just as usual, the Hokage Tower was the most visited building in the village, and every day Jounin, Chuunin and Genin went in and out reporting or taking on new missions, and in the Hokage office, Tsunade was busy signing off all the paperwork, two guards standing in front of her door to make sure nobody would disturb her.

In fact, Shizune had appointed them to stand there, because she knew that any distraction from her work would be welcomed, and Tsunade really needed to work on those papers, after all.

The busty Hokage glanced up from her desk, covered with papers and scrolls and regulations to read and sigh, when she felt a shudder run down her back.

Confused, she looked around the room, then to the window, to try and understand what had caused her to shiver, but there was nothing out of ordinary anywhere around her.

She didn't want to get behind with her paperwork –Shizune had taken hostage a few of her sake bottles and wouldn't give them back to her unless she was satisfied with the amount of work Tsunade had done during the day– but that sensation…

Unable to shake it away, Tsunade fidgeted, then finally stood up, moving towards the window to take a look at the village.

Even outside of her window everything looked fairly normal, but the weight in her chest was growing heavier, almost as if something was happening and she did not know what.

The last time she had felt this distraught had been when she had met Naruto for the first time, and had made a bet with him, but there again, before that she had only felt such a weird feeling when Orochimaru had betrayed Konoha and placed the cursed seal on young Anko…

What was the meaning of this feeling of hers?

Feeling something wet on her hand, Tsunade looked down and noticed she had cracked the pen she had been using, and the ink was dripping all over her hand, trickling down her wrist and falling down on the floor.

Cursing slightly, at her inattention, Tsunade grabbed a handkerchief and threw the pen on her desk, cursing when it dripped more ink all over her documents.

Taking a deep breath, Tsunade decided her priorities and moved to the bathroom in a hurry to get the ink away from her hand before it got to her clothes –she would deal with getting new copies of those documents later.

She didn't notice the newspaper Shizune had left her on the table rustling slightly in the wind coming from the window as the pen slowly dripped ink right on a small alert on the upper corner of the front page; the alert was for the Weekly Ninja Lottery, declaring the numbers of the jackpot.

If Tsunade had paid attention to the string of numbers before the ink got to them, she would have realised that they matched the ones on the ticket she had bought two days earlier.

In all her life, Tsunade had never been able to make a single lucky win on any game she had tried, and the only times she had, bad things had happened –everybody who knew her was aware of that…

The Legendary Sucker winning at a lottery only meant one thing –_a bad omen_.

With a soft pop, something green and bouncy landed on top of the Hokage's desk, croaking and knocking down some scrolls as it panicked, looking around.

The moment Tsunade returned from the bathroom, disgruntled at the ugly black spot on her blouse, she noticed the small toad frantically hopping on her table and froze.

Feeling a lump in her throat, Tsunade remained on the door, unable to enter her room as she stared at the toad, not understanding; Jiraiya had sent her a letter not even a week before to reassure Tsunade that their journey was going on well, so why would he send a toad so soon after that…?

Unless he wanted to tell her something bad had happened.

It was childish, but Tsunade had the sudden impulse to run away; if she didn't go into the room, then nothing bad would happen. She wouldn't know, therefore there would be nothing to fear.

'_Coward,' _a part of her mind whispered to her.

Refusing to acknowledge it, Tsunade hurried in the room, attracting the creature's attention instantly.

"Tsunade–sama," the toad called out, looking up as he handed her a small sealed scroll.

As the woman grabbed it, hand trembling slightly, the toad suddenly dispelled himself, disappearing from the room without waiting for a reply.

It took Tsunade a while to manage to still her hands enough to open the scroll, dripping some blood on its seal, and once she finished reading the message inside –painfully short– she felt like the world was collapsing on her.

'_No… it can't be…'_

The Hokage slumped down on the chair, clenching her head in her hands and looking away from the scroll as if ignoring it would make everything just a nightmare, and not the truth.

Unfortunately, when she looked up the scroll was still there, almost mocking her, stepping on her heart and crushing it to pieces.

The door creaked open and Shizune peeked in, her face set in a displeased frown as she noticed her shishou sitting there without working; the woman was about to yell at the Hokage for not respecting their pact, but then she noticed something wrong.

Tsunade was crying, and her tears were rolling down her cheeks and splashing all over her documents.

"Tsunade–sama…?"

The blonde didn't lift her head, but handed Shizune a crumpled scroll with a shaky hand.

Shizune blinked, licking her lips.

A scroll?

Reading the short message inside, Shizune felt her heart constrict in her chest.

'Tsunade. I am sorry. Akatsuki has Naruto. I was not able to stop them, nor protect him. I'm following their traces right now, and they seem to be headed to the plains North of Iwagakure. I might need back up. I will get him back, believe me'.

It wasn't signed, but Shizune knew exactly who had sent it.

Tsunade's body was shaken by silent sobs, and Shizune felt completely useless; she didn't know what to do or say that would ever make this situation better. For the short time she had known Naruto, the teen had carefully crafted a small spot into her heart, and she had considered him like a young brother.

And now, her little brother had been caught, and the chances that he would die were really high –_too high_.

"Call Kakashi, Seishiro, and Gai".

Tsunade's voice sounded impersonal and empty, and it was all the proof Shizune needed to know that the older woman was not fine.

Yet, she did not speak and simply nodded, rushing out of the room; the moment she shut the door behind her back, Shizune heard a loud noise come from inside the room that made her momentarily freeze, but she swallowed and continued on her way.

Tsunade had asked her to summon the two Jounin and one of the ANBU captains, and that was what she would do.

As she ran out of the Hokage tower, Shizune fervently prayed Kami–sama that Naruto could be rescued before it was too late, and in the Hokage office, standing in front of the broken remains of her desk, with scrolls and documents fluttering around her, Tsunade was fiercely hoping the same.

Naruto _had_ to be rescued.

…–…–…–…

Having a day off, Kakashi decided, wasn't entirely bad.

Walking around the village with his book in one hand with no real direction… it was relaxing.

It had been a while since he had been able to take a day of vacation, as his missions filled up most of his time. Team7 didn't exist anymore, at least for a while, with two of its members currently away from Konoha and the last one training under the Hokage, and Kakashi had resumed taking on high ranked missions instead.

So, having a day for himself was just perfect.

He had planned his day carefully; he would wait for Iruka to finish teaching at the academy, and then he would visit his favourite teacher and spend some deserved time with him.

Early in the morning, he had visited the cemetery and the stone where the names of his teammate and his teacher were carved on, something he did every single day, and now he had a lot of free time to waste.

Often Kakashi wondered whether his name would be on that stone soon as well; he knew that a ninja's life was not supposed to end with a peaceful death by old age, and an example of that was the Third Hokage, who had retired from his position only to have to come back after his successor died to protect the village… only to die in a battle twelve years later.

Still, Kakashi was not in a hurry to die. He had much to live for, and that was enough to make him determined to survive as much as he could.

Sighing softly, Kakashi also wondered if Obito would be proud of him or if he would just scold him for his actions; his blatant favouritism for one of his students had caused all three of them to suffer greatly, and even after two years had gone by, he was still guilty about it.

There was a long way to go if he wanted to make amends for that.

But if there was something Kakashi shared with his dead friend, that was his faith in his team. Obito had once trusted Kakashi with not just his life, but Rin's life too, and then had died, giving Kakashi one priceless, irreplaceable gift –his Sharingan eye.

Kakashi was willingly to do the same. He would put his trust in Naruto, knowing he would never back down… it was _his way of ninja_.

It was almost scary how much Naruto resembled Obito, if he thought about it; both had been shunned away most of their lives, both had wanted to be acknowledged, both had been unfortunate, but had still fought against hopeless situations…

but unlike Naruto, Obito had never had the chance to fulfil his dream.

He'd never had a fair life because of his clan's demands, and giving one eye to his teammate had been more than just a parting gift –Obito had wanted to show the world that he was more than just a dead last.

Obito had wanted to show his own family that he wasn't afraid of them –Uchiha Obito had died to protect his comrades and had given away his prized Sharingan eye so that someone like Kakashi could be free from his own past as the son of a disgraced ninja.

He might have been dead for over fifteen years, but Kakashi still respected his old teammate for that.

"Shikamaru, don't be stubborn, come back! Tell me!"

Kakashi blinked, forcibly shaken out of his thoughts as he looked ahead of him; two teens belonging to Team10 were walking the street in the opposite direction, and looked like they were in the middle of a heated discussion.

One was Sakura's 'rival' in love, Ino, and the other was the first of the Rookie9 that had been promoted to Chuunin, Shikamaru.

The latter was walking in his usual slouched way, openly grimacing at the girl who had latched onto his arm, whining at him.

"You're _so_ troublesome, Ino," he muttered, before spotting Kakashi. "Ohayo, Kakashi–sensei," he muttered, still trying to pull his arm free.

Kakashi scratched his head but cheerfully replied to the greeting, vaguely amused.

Ino barely glanced at Kakashi, waving distractedly at him as he nudged her teammate's side. "Shikamaru! Tell me! You've been seeing someone and it's been a year already, isn't t? Don't I deserve to know as your teammate and friend?"

Feeling the urge to be helpful, Kakashi butted in, "it's been _two_ years, actually" he corrected, waving his finger.

He was kind of grateful that despite how much time passed by, the younger generation could still prove to be amusing to him. He was definitely glad they were such a tight bunch of kids…

Ino halted immediately and turned to stare at him, eyes wide; Shikamaru simply froze.

"Ino, you should know better than to butt into Shikamaru's affairs with the Hyuuga," Kakashi chastised with a smirk that none of the teens could see.

That said, Kakashi felt he had done his daily good deed and wandered away, feeling rather smug and satisfied.

Ino's following screech could be heard up to the top of the Hokage Mountain, "You're going out with _Hinata_?"

Kakashi chuckled to himself, shaking his head. _'She's so clueless, really…'_ he trailed out and glanced at the nearby bookstore with interest –maybe he should go in and see if the new 'Icha Icha' book was finally out…

His inner monologue was interrupted when he felt a familiar chakra spike up and a figure sped up from around the corner, pointing towards him.

The silver haired ninja groaned in distaste. Of all days Gai could choose to bother him… he had to pick the only free one Kakashi had?

As the spandex–wearing Green Beast of Konoha came to a stop in front of him, Kakashi suddenly got the feeling that something was not right; Gai's face was serious, and that was enough to drive Kakashi's suspicion up the wall.

"Kakashi, my rival… Hokage–sama has requested our presence," Gai stared right into Kakashi's eyes. He didn't know how to tell the other man what he knew. This was a first for him, and nothing he could say would ever make the situation less serious.

There was nothing to joke about over this.

"Gai, is there something wrong?" Kakashi quickly discarded any notion of having a day off. Gai was only this serious in few cases, and it surely meant something was horribly wrong.

Train derailment kind of wrong.

Gai took a deep breath and decided to just tell Kakashi what was going on bluntly. He wasn't known to be one to skid around matters, after all.

"Kakashi… I am sorry. Akatsuki has Naruto–kun".

Kakashi's grip on his book went lax, but he didn't even realise it; a second later, both Jounin had transported away, the 'Icha Icha' book forgotten on the ground.

…–…–…–…

Tsunade stared at the three men in front of her with grave eyes, looking fierce and determined despite the red tinge around her eyes, clear sign that she had been crying until a moment before the three had entered the room.

Aside from Kakashi and Gai there was another man in the office, dressed in the usual ANBU gear with the mask of a _Nezumi_ hiding his face; the man looked strong, the aura of authority he had around him spoke volumes of his rank within the ANBU.

The man was one of the captains, after all, and the chakra fizzling under his skin was testament of that.

"Hokage–sama," Kakashi intoned, worry clear in his voice, "what happened to Naruto?"

No one noticed the sudden tension in the _Nezumi_ masked ANBU's stance, as the four other people there –Shizune included– were far too concerned over the blond Genin to take notice.

Tsunade licked her lips, glancing at the masked man. "He and Jiraiya were attacked in the proximity of Iwagakure, in the Tsuchi no Kuni. Akatsuki has Naruto now. Jiraiya once said that to perform the extracting jutsu it takes three days, and that Akatsuki have to reunite together in a particular secluded space to start the jutsu".

Kakashi and Gai nodded, looking thoughtful at that.

Tsunade took a deep breath. "Jiraiya warned me right away and asked for assistance, so you have probably around a week to reach Jiraiya in the Earth Country and save Naruto before the extracting jutsu is completed".

"Yes, Hokage–sama," he straightened his back.

Naruto needed him, and he would not back down from this important mission.

"I'll do my best, Hokage–sama," Gai assured, nodding at the woman.

He was fond of the bright blond with so much youthful energy, the one who had helped mending Neji's heart and had helped tracking down the current Hokage, so even Lee had be saved…

Right on cue, Gai frowned, "what about my team?" he wondered out loud.

Tsunade thought about it for a moment; it was a dangerous mission and it would put Kakashi, Gai and the squad of ANBU she had chosen at risk. She couldn't let unprepared ninja to join as well, but she couldn't just send two Jounin and a single ANBU team against Akatsuki either…

Biting down on her lips, she wished for a split second she wasn't the Hokage –then, she could be able to drop everything and rush off to aid Jiraiya… but she couldn't.

She had responsibilities she could not drop at a moment's notice, and she had to honour her position –for Naruto, most of all.

"Neji passed the Jounin exam, right?" she asked the bowl–headed shinobi, who replied with a curt nod. "I think he should go with you. He is a friend of Naruto, he knows about Kyuubi and he has enough experience to be useful".

Gai nodded.

"I trust you to bring Naruto back," Tsunade finished, this time almost a whisper. "Now… go You will have thirty minutes to prepare yourself for this mission".

The _Nezumi_ ANBU nodded, taking off to find his team; under his mask, he was grimacing, eyes filled with hatred.

Gai and Kakashi also nodded, leaving the office as well, both headed to a different place.

Tsunade was left in the office, feeling old and useless, hands trembling as she clenched them on the edge of the table.

She trusted the two Jounin and the ANBU team to take Naruto back, and against all odds, she also trusted Jiraiya, because he cared for Naruto as well.

They would take him back for sure.

…–…–…–…

Kakashi watched helplessly as Iruka's face was filled with anguish.

He could do nothing to cheer his lover up, so he simply held him close, closing his eyes as he felt the trembles shaking Iruka's body against his own.

Before this man had entered his life –entirely by accident, too– Kakashi had never hugged another person, nor had he allowed others to hug him either; even now, after over three years as a couple, it felt strange to hold Iruka without wanting to do something else with him.

Yet, at the same time, it just felt right.

Usually, having feelings for another person was said to be a hindrance for a shinobi, but Kakashi knew that it was not true; the strongest people he'd met, dead or alive, were the ones who'd had someone to protect.

If Iruka was a precious person to him, and he was, Kakashi had no intention to let go of him.

The silver haired Jounin had felt it was his duty to report to Iruka before leaving for his mission, since the Chuunin had always cared for the blond a lot, and he deserved to know… unfortunately he hadn't expected such a strong reaction.

Apparently, Iruka took his role as Naruto's adoptive father of sorts really seriously, and the sight of such a broken hearted Iruka just served to hurt Kakashi even more.

Despite that, he knew he had done the right thing. Iruka deserved to be informed.

"Iruka… trust me, we will take Naruto back. He will be fine," he tried to reassure the distressed man, hands gently massaging the back of his neck.

Shaking his head and pressing his forehead against Kakashi's chest, Iruka could only nod, taking what comfort he could and leaving his complete trust in his lover.

It took him a while to control his trembling and his rage –because he was furious, angered at both Jiraiya for not protecting Naruto and at the Akatsuki for daring to harm his little Naruto– but when he managed to finally calm down, he became aware of the fact that Kakashi was still holding him close.

He had to believe in Kakashi. He had to. He would take Naruto back, but he had to have faith in him.

Staring up at the man he had come to cherish so much, Iruka narrowed his eyes and made sure Kakashi was looking at him. "Bring him back safely. I trust you to do it, Kakashi".

The silver haired Jounin nodded seriously before pulling his mask down, locking lips with Iruka in a slow kiss, trying to convey his feelings through it.

Then, parting from his lover, he offered him a cheerful smile and waved goodbye. _'I'll never let someone I care for die ever again,'_ he promised himself.

Iruka looked at the floor with a depressed face, feeling useless. He had known better than to ask Kakashi to let him join the rescue party, since he was just a Chuunin and in no way a match for Akatsuki, but that made him feel even more worthless.

He wanted to help Naruto, but he would have to leave everything to Kakashi.

'_I hope you are ok, Naruto…'_

…–…–…–…

Pain.

For him there was no conscious thought, no sanity, no reprise… nothing else existed but pain.

_Sheer, unyielding pain._

It started all of sudden, so he didn't even have time to prepare himself, no time to brace his mind or his body against such a terrible onslaught. It was stronger than any he had ever experienced before, strong and so overwhelming that even the pain he'd felt under Tsukiyomi was nothing in comparison.

Devastating pain that grasped his mind in a bind and clutched at it with steely claws.

Blinding him, choking him and constricting around his lungs until he could no longer breathe, his mind trying to run from the never ending pain but finding no escape.

It stretched through his entire frame, reaching towards every single part of him –from his twitching fingers, nails digging into his hands, breaking the skin, to his muscles and his legs, ready to snap; he was shaking and soon his shaking turned to a seizure, but no matter the jolts washing over him, he still couldn't move an inch away from the spot he was on.

Too much –that pain was _too much_

A part of him realised that he was screaming. The voice sounded too raw and broken and high pitched to be his, but it was his own all the same.

Time seemed not to pass, because world, time and space mattered nothing as the throbbing pain spread through him again and again, as it thorns were pushed through his skin and then burning oil was added through the wounds and then even more…

It felt like his insides were being pulled out, it felt like his brain was being smashed against a wall… nothing mattered but the _pain_.

It was so great that soon there could be no comparison to it –nothing in this world could ever hurt like this–

He screamed. He screamed and screamed and screamed, until his throat was ripped raw, until his lungs constricted so much that he could barely breathe in.

No, it was too much, too much–

'_Stop…'_

Nowhere to run. Nowhere to escape from this pain… there was no way to ignore it, no hope, _nothing_, and it hurt so damn much that his brain could only shut down to be able to survive without him going mad.

And yet, he was still conscious.

Maybe it was the shock forcing his body to be alert, maybe the pain was just too much for him to pass out, but there was no comforting, welcoming darkness waiting for him behind his eyelids.

He couldn't pass out and be spared that torture, that unyielding pain, not even after his brain had turned into mashed nothingness…

He was still awake.

He didn't want to give _them_ the satisfaction of seeing him give up and admit defeat… not even against all odds.

He didn't want to die in his sleep… it would not be fair; he was already far too gone to be saved, he knew this and had accepted his death.

At the point he was at, he would even welcome it, because with such pain tormenting him, nothing would be better than for all of it to end…

_Stop_–

Stop it, make it stop

It shattered through his defences, trying to break him, trying to corrupt him, wanting him to submit, to give up his mind, his soul…

Until nothing was left.

And still he would _not_ die without looking straight up at death itself in his last moments. He wanted to be able to see the end, because he was not afraid of it anymore. Not after _this_.

He had wanted the respect that he felt he deserved, and he'd never had it –fleeting thoughts belonging to the time before the pain, forcing him to acknowledge that this was where he would cease to exist.

Every cell of his body screamed for it to end, for something to give him a merciful end, but it still didn't stop.

Hot tears burned down his cheeks, his screams echoing continuously in the air, the anguish radiating from his body dancing in waves around him, almost visible and tangible in the darkness, as if his mind was scattering itself around.

_It still didn't stop–_

No matter how much he begged for the pain to end, it just _didn't_–

And yet, he still clung to consciousness. He was going to die, and he wanted to do it by showing his enemies that he would do it like a shinobi, without begging, without letting himself go to the darkness.

Crying, screaming… there was pain, and there was plenty of it, but his screams were never pleas to be spared; he didn't beg to be saved, he didn't beg for the pain to end. There was no God up there to listen to his prayers, and he didn't frankly care.

The part of him that were not concentrating on the pain slowly floated away, thinking of all his precious people that he would not be able to see ever again.

Iruka–sensei, Tsunade obaa–chan, Ero–sennin, Sakura, Sasuke… his promises, his words, his desires…

His body was slowly starting to feel numb. Aside from the pain, he could barely feel the world around him, covered with some sort of haze…

Was it the end?

He was dying…?

Not a Hokage. Not even a Chuunin.

He was nothing, Naruto was nothing, his mind was nothing –_pain_

How long until the torture ended?

How long since he'd started bleeding from the corner of his eyes, from his mouth, tears and sweat and blood mixing together… how long since he'd been screaming to the heavens?

Seconds. Minutes. Hours. Days. Weeks…?

Just make it–

_He just wanted for it to stop._

Pouring out of his pores, for the first time in his life Naruto felt real resentment.

What a way to end his life, levitating, dripping blood, crying and screaming, unable to make it end, feeling the very essence of his life being pulled out of his body, a fierce tugging at his stomach, his heart louder and louder, with a pain burning him alive.

Maddening.

Skin melting, eyes aflame, veins burning up, organs melting together, vomit and bile and blood rushing out from his lips, his body twisting in midair, nothing else just that overwhelming pain…

And the _voices_.

Murmurs at first, growing louder and louder, vibrating through him as he couldn't really hear it –his ears were bleeding, they could hear no more– resonating through his heart, calming and hympnotic–

Blind eyes in the dark widened.

At a subliminal level, he felt his seal start to change. It was fading, the ripple on his skin drawing a pained gurgle from him, like a teardrop of pain in the ocean he was in.

Through his dazed mind, through his fright and the pain and the shock and the horror, he felt the demon leash forwards, called out by a force that was ripping Naruto apart.

One last agonized cry, hopeless, frantic–

Creeping through him. Death.

Finally, his mind edged into nothingness, and a single last thought fluttered to the surface of his conscious, right before he let himself go.

'_I'm sorry…'_

And then there was nothing…

… but silence.

No pain, nothing.

Only a comforting darkness, and he welcomed it.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** Yondaime when he was not Yondaime. Cheers.

If you drop a review, I shall love you forever. And they do help in making me update faster, too :D

Ah, right… an important difference. '_Sannin'_ means 'three people', and it is a title that Jiraiya, Orochimaru and Tsunade were given because of their unique strength. '_sennin'_ is, instead, a word for 'hermit'.


	11. Death

**Edited:** 27/04/2011

**Thanks to ****all the reviewers!**

**StarsOfYaoi****:** OC warning. OC warning. Leader of Akatsuki in this chapter!

Also, Naruto was unconscious for the week it took the rescue team to get to the Akatsuki lair, but he was still bleeding because the Akatsuki was rough around with his body since they didn't care much as long as he was still alive when the extraction jutsu was commenced.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 11: Death**

_Finally, his mind edged into nothingness, and a single last thought fluttered to the surface of his conscious, right before he let himself go._

'_I'm sorry…'_

_And then there was nothing…_

… _but silence._

_No pain, nothing._

_Only a comforting darkness, and he welcomed it._

…–…

Thinking about it later on, Kakashi had to admit that he could have done nothing to prevent it from happening… after all, he'd come to realise that lazy teens could be really stubborn.

Shikamaru was no exception.

As he was leaving Konoha together with Gai, Neji –who had been promptly informed of the urgency of the mission– and the team of ANBU (the _Nezumi_ masked captain and three subordinates, respectively _Inu_, _Tori_ and _Hebi_), Kakashi suddenly found himself facing another kind of trouble he'd have gladly evaded.

A certain shadows user shinobi was standing next to the gates of the Konoha Wall, shoulders slouched and back pressed against the tall wall; the moment he noticed them coming, Shikamaru straightened his back and waited for them to reach him.

The sight had been unexpected, as nobody was supposed to know about the mission, and Neji hadn't said a word to his lover either.

Still, Shikamaru was nonetheless standing there, and what came next was even more surprising –glancing at them and looking straight into Kakashi's visible eye, he had asked the group to join. Well, more like demanded, but this was a mere technicality.

Kakashi would have even accused the teen to be an imposter, if not for his expression that stated how troublesome the entire situation was… while at the same time, hiding worry behind determined eyes.

Quoting the younger teen and his father Shikaku, Kakashi had a single though. _'How troublesome…'_

If things had been normal, the silver haired Jounin would have never allowed a Chuunin (especially one not used to long–term missions) join in without the approval of the Hokage first, but as they were in a hurry, and Shikamaru had the brain of a genius, Kakashi had to make a quick decision.

Naruto needed them, and this was a serious matter, not a child's game; they had to take the blond teen back and also prevent the Akatsuki from acquiring the demon…

The first priority was to get there as quickly as possible, assess the situation, and then do everything they could to save Naruto's life, and at the same time, keep Kyuubi inside the seal. Shikamaru would be a great asset, all things considered.

But this wasn't really the main reason for Kakashi nodding in agreement.

Shikamaru would never accept a curt no as an answer, and while he might be lazy and laidback, he was also equally stubborn.

He'd first come up with at least five decent argumentations as to why he should follow them, all perfectly reasonable… and then he would play the card of being Naruto's friend.

Kakashi at times wondered how different Konoha would be if Shikamaru had been a genius but without his lazy side; the thought brought a shudder down his back. As a prodigy on his own, Kakashi was both peeved and proud of Shikamaru.

Really. Stupid kids.

He wasn't even sure this was a good thing or not.

As Kakashi's brain continued whirring, the Nara heir presumed they were still unconvinced and cleared his throat. "You are not going there to fight. You are going to get Naruto back while trying to keep the casualties to the minimum. I will be your backup and create a plan to assure they won't retaliate as you act," he stated clearly.

Again, Shikamaru showed he was not afraid and stared right into Kakashi's only visible eye.

The lazy genius wasn't there to be a pushover. He had to go, both because he might be truly useful in a situation where he could plan ahead, and both because it involved two of his precious people.

He would not be a burden to the hardened shinobi in front of him, and he would help them as much as he could.

"Gai–sensei isn't good at planning," he continued, voice drawling on with the same bored tone. "And both Neji and yourself, Kakashi–sensei, are better suited for short battles. The ANBU team is strong in terms of battle power, but they do not know the morphology of the Tsuchi no Kuni. You need my brain to prepare the best ambushing plan, and a backup once you are there".

Kakashi bit his lip under the mask; he had to concede that having Shikamaru join them would be a good decision, and he had the sinking feeling that even if refused, Shikamaru would follow them anyway, muttering 'how troublesome' all the while.

So really, he had no choice on that matter. Really.

Inwardly smiling, Kakashi nodded curtly at the teen before sending Pakkun to the Hokage with a note about the new addition to the team.

Shikamaru remained in the middle of the group as the moved towards the Tsuchi no Kuni, making only a few, short pauses to rest as they moved; as they continued their travelling, the lazy teen's eyes continued to shift towards his lover as he and the Hyuuga communicated through gestures.

They had been together for a few years now, and they knew each other well, and had taken to speaking in a complex series of gestures that they had learned from the ANBU signals during the few missions they had done together.

'Are you sure about this?' Neji's eyes could be chillingly cold most of the time, unreadable for anyone but a few selected people, but Shikamaru was one of those few. He could understand perfectly what the older teen was implying.

Neji wasn't discussing Shikamaru's strength at all.

Lips curling into a small smirk, he nodded in reply. Yes, he was sure.

Naruto was his friend, and Neji was his lover. There was no way he'd allow them to leave him behind; he would put his mind at a good use, and protect his precious people at the same time, so that both Neji and Naruto would safely get back to Konoha.

Shikamaru could be lazy, but his mission to rescue Sasuke had changed him too; he would do anything to help his friends, just as he knew they would do the same for him.

No matter what, no matter how… he would do his best.

Moving quickly through the forest, the group advanced, with Neji keeping a position in front of the group, Byakugan activated to spot any possible enemy that could slow them down. He had been informed of the amount of time they had, and he had to make sure nothing interfered with their pace…

They barely had any time as it was.

Naruto… they had to _save_ _Naruto_.

The blond teen had saved him once, helping him see that life was more than just kneeling in front of Fate, and now he would return the favour and help his friend out.

Neji was sure that despite the hatred that followed Naruto around whenever he walked through the village, there were people who didn't look at him and saw the demon; things were changing, and Naruto had done a lot for the village. Some were warming up to him, and he had his friends to back him up, and that was enough.

Naruto had a great gift that had nothing in common with bloodlines or skills –he could see the truth of a person's heart, and heal them; he'd seen the good in Gaara's heart, and now the redhead was the Kazekage. He'd seen the pain in Tsunade's heart, and she was now ready to die for the village she'd once despised.

Naruto never turned his back to the place he felt at home, nor to the people that lived there. The more they hated him, the more he strived to protect them instead.

He never gave up on anyone, and now Neji and Shikamaru would show him that they were not going to give up on him, either.

…–…–…–…

It took the rescue group three full days to reach the Earth Country, running at full speed and only stopping when it was truly necessary, but once there, they were aware that finding Naruto and the Akatsuki would be an entirely different thing.

They had no idea where the organization had taken him, or if they were already in the process of extracting the Kyuubi from his body, and worst was, they still had received no info on Jiraiya's own whereabouts.

Taking another half day, they managed to reach the territories around Iwagakure and started scanning their surroundings, searching for any kind of familiar chakra.

Working skilfully, the rescue group divided into smaller sections, with the ANBU leaving some small trace of their passage that could be detected only if one knew where to look, trying not to attract any attention.

As they proceeded around, they fortunately had no trouble with the shinobi of Iwa –Suna had recently signed a truce with them, and given the close relationship Sunagakure had with Konoha, the Leaf nin were for the most part left alone.

Actually, when a group of Jounin from Iwa had approached them, demanding to know why they were snooping around, Kakashi had reported they were in search of Akatsuki for unspecified matters –thanks to that, they had gained support of a team of Oi–nin from the city, as the Tsuchikage had his own grudges to settle with Akatsuki.

One or more of the organization's nuke–nin did come from Iwa, after all.

Kakashi knew better than to refuse help when Akatsuki was involved, so he had accepted.

So now their rescue team included four silent, mostly invisible Oi–nin that kept themselves away from their eye, and yet reported to Kakashi and Gai whenever suspicious traces were found.

Then, when time was quickly running away and they were starting to grow more frantic, the group finally met up with Jiraiya.

The older man had picked up on a familiar chakra signature mixed with unfamiliar chakra waves –those belonging to the Oi–nin– and had decided to approach them.

Kakashi noticed instantly that Jiraiya looked grim, and there was a shadow draped over him that made him look older than his age; although Kakashi knew how serious Jiraiya could become, to see such a darkened expression on him that it was unsettling.

The man had a dark edge into his eyes that spoke volumes of his intentions to get Naruto back at any cost –it was the gaze of a man who blamed himself for his uselessness, but that was ready to do anything to remedy to that.

At the sight, Kakashi felt his own resolve strengthen.

They were not going to go back to Konoha without the boy, that was for sure. Naruto was part of his team, and someone Kakashi had learned to care for, no matter how much he had tried to fight it.

It had been a long time since Kakashi had put his faith on someone, and that meant Kakashi would not let Naruto go.

Shikamaru and Neji both glanced up at the older man with respect and an equally fierce determination, ready to follow any order their leaders would give them.

With such a tense situation, nobody really noticed how the Konoha ANBU captain continued to fight against his growing sense of disgust; he was stuck with this useless mission of taking back the demon… with people who appeared to care for the little shit.

It was unreal.

With the village showing what the general opinion on the little monster was, how could the strongest ninja of the village still want to be on his side?

Why were they trying to save him from what was, without doubt, the best situation possible?

_How disgusting…_

Oh, but in the end, wasn't he there for this exact reason? If the demon wasn't dead already by the time they arrived there, he would make sure to rectify the situation.

The demon was better of dead before he could kill more innocent people.

"What are they doing here?" pointing towards one of the Oi–nin, Jiraiya frowned, recognising the different outfit.

The silver haired Jounin scratched the back of his head. "The Tsuchikage sent them to deal with Akatsuki the moment he was told they were here. I couldn't refuse backup, not when dealing with that organization, anyway".

Jiraiya nodded thoughtfully. Of the whole organization, he'd only tested the strength of Kisame and Itachi, and the rest of the members were a bit of a mystery, except the ones coming from the Kaze no Kuni and the Tsuchi no Kuni.

Looking over the rescue team, he noticed the two younger teens and frowned, recognising two of Naruto's friend. Again, he turned towards Kakashi for an explanation.

"Neji is a Jounin now, Jiraiya–sama, and Tsunade–sama thought his Byakugan would be helpful in this mission," Kakashi hesitated and then looked at Shikamaru, but didn't say anything more.

He had faith in them, but Shikamaru joining in was still a sore point.

Feeling a subtle annoyance at Kakashi's words, Jiraiya only hoped that the two would render themselves useful despite their age.

He had no time to play babysitter, not if he wanted to get to Naruto and save him before the irreparable happened.

With a last glance at the rescue team, Jiraiya had to think that it was quite a weird ensemble of people put together against a common enemy… but there again, Akatsuki was equally out of the ordinary.

"Where are you taking us, Jiraiya–sama?" Neji and the captain of the ANBU moved closer to the three men, staring expectantly at the Legendary Sannin that was clearly taking lead now.

Without turning towards them, eyes scanning his surroundings, Jiraiya replied, "we are heading North, towards a deserted area in the mountains, some miles away from here. There is a strong amount of chakra gathering there, carefully hidden behind some concealing jutsu, but I sent a few of my summons and their reports tell me it's Akatsuki".

One of the Iwa Oi–nin, who had a weird mask with a painted parrot on it, jumped at Jiraiya's side, motioning towards the mountains for a passage they could take to get on the other side.

"How's the territory on the other side?" Kakashi asked to the other ninja.

"The natural conformation of the rocks and ground caused the formation of a few deep caves that are one of the attractions of this country," the man replied curtly, voice low. "It is never visited in this period, and most of the smaller caves are filled with water infiltrations at this time".

Jiraiya and Kakashi nodded, before turning their eyes towards the strangely silent form of Gai, who was simply staring ahead of them.

The Jounin was too busy thinking about Naruto, and how the young blond reminded him of himself and Lee when he'd first encountered him; the same burning flame within both teens, never backing down in spite of the hardships life had placed in front of them.

Naruto, just like Lee, would surely become a great shinobi, and would gain the respect he deserved, and Gai was going to help them as much as he could.

As the group moved onwards through the secret passage within the mountains, the slight feeling of a concealing techniques finally tickled their senses; it was clear that someone had placed the jutsu to hide something.

When they finally found a few tags that placed the limits of the jutsu, Jiraiya summoned a few toads and managed to pass through the barrier without alerting the maker of their presence.

Once inside, the amount of chakra gathering together was finally noticeable to all the members of the group, and as they felt the oppressive amount that was being gathered in one place, even the Oi–nin looked uncertain.

Thanks to the hunters of Iwa, who knew where to go and which way would be faster to use, the group reached the caves around midnight.

'_We need to stop and rest, or we won't be able to fight if we're discovered. Better not to take any chance,'_ Jiraiya thought, lifting one hand and ordering the rescue team to stop.

They nodded without complaining, knowing better than to go against the Sannin's orders, and quickly prepared the camp. The hunter group remained distant from them, as hunters and normal ninja rarely mingled together, resting and making a smaller fire for themselves.

As Jiraiya looked on to one of the bigger rock conformations barely noticeable in the dark, feeling the massive amount of chakra pooling out from it, another thought entered his mind.

'_If I'm correct, the extraction has been started already. If we attack after a sleepless night, well rested and ready, we might have a better advantage against our enemies'._

After all, they needed _all_ the advantages that they could get.

…–…–…–…

Three days.

For three long, excruciating days, the eight members of Akatsuki, directed by their Leader, had performed one of the most powerful, secret jutsu, without stopping to rest or eat, pushing forth their chakra, moulding it through the seal and will, their attention divided between their task and their surroundings, wary about whoever might decide to trespass.

Seventy–two hours straight of releasing their chakra, using up, if not their entire reserve, at least a good part of it, concentrating because if anything went wrong and they lost control, they would all end up dead.

They sat in a circle, trying to find the most comfortable position while straining their bodies the least, performing, one after the other, every step of the powerful jutsu.

They broke through every phase with hand seals, releasing chakra, the trickle steady even when they were not murmuring hand seals, allowing the different wavelengths to synchronise and mix together.

During this time, even if their concentration was partly fixed on the strain they were going through, they were also aware of what was happening to the Jinchuuriki as they slowly continued calling the demon out of him –this was, so far, the strongest Bijuu, the most ruthless one, the nine tailed fox.

The nine members of Akatsuki were aware that their blond captive, for three days, had never lost consciousness.

For the whole excruciating ordeal, under the massive pain the extraction exerted on his body, the young teen, untrained to pain, had never wavered.

They could hear his cries, his piercing screams ragged with pain and tears, and even in the darkness that they were so used to be in, they could see his thrashing and twisting body.

His pain had to be complete, and yet he never, not even once, gave up his consciousness.

Soon, he didn't have the strength to thrash and scream anymore. Chakra was quickly drained from the teen in order to sustain the jutsu, and once the whole extraction was completed, his life would be drained away as well.

The Akatsuki had, in the last few years, extracted most of the demons and gathered their energy aside. They had put the Jinchuuriki of various standing and ages through this same extraction, and the reactions had, for the most part, being the same.

And yet, none of the members of the Akatsuki would have ever expected the weak loud boy to be able to stand through the agonising pain during the whole ordeal.

Not just feeling it, but being conscious through it; thankfully, though, his screams and cries had died out in the last hours, and darkness had eaten him away, but despite his lack of noises, they were acutely aware that he was still awake.

The Jinchuuriki was still desperately, and hopelessly, fighting against death.

Had a normal person been subjected to that sort of pain, they would have died quickly, unable to stand it. High levelled shinobi, ones trained to stand the pain, would have crumbled and gone insane after less than a day.

But in this case, no Jinchuuriki was allowed to die until the extraction was done; every other vessel had given up before the first day had ended, except one, who had lasted through a day and a half…

Containers of lesser Bijuu had been physically or mentally stronger than this child and yet all of them had given up.

In order to stop the tremendous pain, they had preferred to face death while unconscious –all of them, including the Nanabi no Kabutomushi, one of the strongest beasts. They had lost their sparkle, their will to live, and they had perished.

And there he was, the bearer of the fearsome Kyuubi no kitsune, comparably the weakest of all the Jinchuuriki… and he had never lost consciousness, not until the end, he was still taking in the pain, showing a great amount of will and determination.

This had nothing to do with the demon he contained, though –this was his own burning stubbornness, his desire to show his capturers that he was more than just a simple vessel –but despite that, he was still going to die.

A waste of power, a waste of a promising shinobi.

Not one of the Akatsuki cared. They continued their extraction, every chakra flare taking away a small portion of the Jinchuuriki's life away from him… together with the demon.

No life was more important than their goal to collect the demons, and once Kyuubi was taken, only a few would be left to gather, including the weakest of them all, the Ichibi no Shukaku…

And despite that, the Akatsuki leader found himself impressed by the small blond.

He had resisted so much, and yet… time was up.

In a renewed strain, the Akatsuki concentrated their attention as they felt a slight change of the extraction. This was it –it was growing close to the end.

All of sudden, the ground started shaking. The rumbling grew stronger and stronger, and with it, a low, inhuman growl that turned into a roar, vibrating through them. As they shifted slightly, recognising the signs that the extraction was coming to an end, they stared at the evanescent glow that was surrounding the giant creature that was absorbing chakra from the teen's trembling body.

Under their eyes, the seal on Naruto's stomach began glowing of a crimson tinge, turning and twisting, fading away as the glow from the statue–being started to _pull_ the demon from the teen's body.

The jutsu complete, the figures released the hold on the chakra; some shifted forwards to stare at the glow with a hungry glint in their eyes, some remained in the back, staring ahead emotionlessly.

The glow steadily grew stronger and more brilliant, encompassing the whole place and sending eerie shadows against the walls; soon, the shinobi could see what was happening in front of them as if there was a small sun inside the cave.

Together with the glowing, the ground shook even stronger, and a sudden, startling last scream was ripped from the throat of the Jinchuuriki, sending a shiver down the back of the nine men, although they shrugged it off.

Then… everything stopped.

Silence fell in the cave once more, and as Naruto's consciousness finally faded into black, something else happened –something unexpected.

A strong wave of chakra ripped its way from the still figure of the blond Jinchuuriki, slamming with tremendous force against them, almost enough to send them falling from the finger–like pillars they were standing onto.

Eyes showing confusion, suddenly more alert than ever, they gazed down as the creature absorbing Kyuubi out of Naruto's body suddenly grew unnaturally still, a mouth opening wide before unleashing a scream unlike any other.

The sound echoed around them, from wall to wall, deafening them –inhuman, horrible, piercing and deep, reaching levels no other voice could–

The Akatsuki members cowered slightly, hands flying to their ears, confused…

The sound continued on, holding both deep and high pitched tones, as if many voices from many different souls were crying out at the same time, creating a horribly mismatched chorus.

All of sudden, under the waves of sound, the finger–pillars crumbled into nothing, the shinobi falling down on the ground.

Something had gone wrong –but what?

The handseals had been perfect, their chakra had been added the right way, just as they had done with all the other Jinchuuriki…

What was going on?

All of sudden, the cry stopped.

The glowing abruptly vanished like a flame, leaving the nine men dazzled by the attack, deaf and suddenly blind, darkness enveloping them again as silence fell on them like a choking blanket.

The group remained there for what felt like hours, until they finally recovered from the dull thumping and the whistling still echoing in their ears, then–

"What the _hell_ was that, un!" a wary voice called out, vaguely shaky. Much to their surprise, there was no echo, even though the space they were in was enormous.

There was no creature underneath them, there was no light, no glow, nothing but the remains of the finger–pillars and them, standing almost shakily in the middle of the destruction.

None of them really knew what had happened, or why.

A hiss followed the question, and one by one, the members of the organization started protesting, their voices rising in volume to hide the unearthly silence and the fact that their voices still had no echo in the cave.

For the first time in many years, the nine members of one of the strongest groups existing had been left confused and lost.

As this should have been the extraction of the strongest demon, they had all been present in body instead of just presenting a hologram, but they had not expected anything of that sort to happen.

On one side, a small light flickered on, courtesy of a small torch one of them always carried around, and the closest shinobi squinted and retreated from the sudden light.

There was confusion.

There was frustration –after all their work, something had gone wrong.

But most of all, there was _fury_.

The weak light flickered as the Akatsuki member slowly made his way towards the centre of the cave, and soon enough that light was joined in by a small ball of flames from another one of them, and then a third lit up some non–explosive clay with a match.

The figures moved closer, the lights towering down over the non–responsive, apparently lifeless corpse of the blond Jinchuuriki, and nine pair of eyes stared down at him.

Blood was trickling down from the corners of his eyes, mouth and ears, as more dried crimson liquid was caked all over his body; his complexion was pale, and there were bruises everywhere they could see, but other than that, no visible wounds.

There was no injury that could bleed anymore… the body was again unmarred.

And there –a soft shift of his chest.

The Jinchuuriki was still breathing, softly and uneasily, but he was still breathing.

He was not dead.

And not just that –their jutsu had failed.

Right on Naruto's belly, as if mocking them for their useless efforts, Yondaime Hokage's seal was pulsating with life, looking as strong as before, but with a small difference –there was a small series of new signs and kanji all around it.

Under their eyes, there was a soft flicker of chakra that bled onto the seal, then it faded into the skin.

The seal had somehow resisted the extraction –it still contained the Kyuubi no Kitsune inside the vessel's body.

_They had failed._

…–…–…–…

When the rescue team finally reached the cave area, the first thing they felt was the huge amount of chakra pressing against them, almost overwhelming.

Many different signatures were building together, and the result was heavy and compressed.

As the Konoha team stopped, glancing warily at the biggest cave, the hunter group from Iwa hesitantly remained in the background, unsure of what to do.

The area was bare of any vegetation apart some small, lonely bushes and shrubs, and the rocks were piling up all around them; the sight was, in a way, beautiful –under the rising sun, the rocks were just a massive mix of red, yellow, brown and grey.

The place was certainly amazing; it was obvious what attracted people there, and yet the sight looked nothing but dreadful for the shinobi looking at it, and the rescue team had other things to concentrate on.

The chakra gathering was almost visible to the eye; the faltering of the air around the caves was obvious, and, even though they didn't know exactly what was happening, they all could feel that _something_ was going to happen.

Gai, who had separated from the others to have a look at the perimeter around the caves with one of the Iwa Oi–nin, returned and joined again with Jiraiya and Kakashi, face marred by a frown.

"Jiraiya–sama, there are four seals surrounding the cave. They were intended to keep anybody out of the place," he pointed at the cave in the middle of the valley, where the chakra was gathering. "We have to destroy the seals in order to get in".

Jiraiya nodded, recognising the seal Gai was talking about.

Although his thoughts were focused mainly on Naruto (they had to be on time. They _had_ to), he sharply focused back on what he had to do.

He was a seal master, and that was exactly his job. "The seals have to be destroyed at the same time, or they'll cause a chain reaction that will kill us," he warned.

Without waiting, he called forth the group of Iwa shinobi. They nodded and moved closer, though keeping themselves slightly separated from the Konoha nin.

The sennin quickly divided the rescue team in four smaller groups, and they quickly split up, each group moving towards one of the seals.

The seal on the North was placed on a tree, and was surrounded with flickers of blue chakra; Shikamaru, Neji and Kakashi focused their attention on it, ready to destroy it.

South –the seal was placed on the side of a wide, reddish rock, and two of the hunter ops, together with Gai, cracked their knuckles, waiting for the signal.

The seal on the East was quickly found by the leader of the Iwa Oi–nin and two of the Konoha ANBU, hidden within a bush; the sparkles of chakra coming from it were telltales of its presence there.

The ANBU and the hunter had no trouble finding the seal, and it was clear that the Akatsuki, although expecting someone to find them and come to investigate, had been sure enough of their protecting seals not to worry about hiding them.

The last seal was placed in the middle of a small river on a rock, and Jiraiya, with the rest of the Konoha ANBU, was the one preparing to destroy it.

With a flare of chakra, making sure the groups were synchronised, Jiraiya sent the signal, and at once, all four groups flashed their hands in a long, complicated series of seals–

They didn't have time to complete the unsealing jutsu.

A sudden, low rumbling caused the seals to crackle, catching all the shinobi by surprise, then the ground shook under their feet, almost managing to make them fall, and last, a wave of chakra rippled through the cave, obliterating the four seals all at once, as if they had never existed in the first place.

As the shinobi looked up, shocked, a loud, horrible piercing scream reached to them, sending shivers down their backs; in a vain attempt to block the sound out, they hunched their shoulders and covered their ears, but it didn't help.

The only thing each and every shinobi present outside the caves could think was that the scream was not human –it was nothing a worldly creature could have made.

Something had happened.

The four teams darted forward, moving from their positions to the centre of the caves, Jiraiya rushing ahead, hurrying towards the main cave with a feeling of dread creeping inside him.

No one had ever reported anything of this sort before –the sennin knew Akatsuki had extracted some of the Bijuu already, but something like this would have been too obvious to miss if it had happened every time…

'_Naruto… are you ok?'_ he pleaded, desperate.

In his mind, the echo of the inhuman scream was still lingering.

The sight of the caves, completely disintegrated by the waves of chakra except for the bigger one, still somehow standing, was astonishing.

"What the hell…" Kakashi's words fell into silence as he felt three chakra flare approach, and the shinobi turned at once to stare at the main cave.

Three figures exited from the entrance of the cave, and Kakashi and Jiraiya tensed instantly as they recognised two of them –Kisame and Itachi.

Kisame looked pale, though his complexion made it hard to notice, and he seemed to be limping slightly.

The third was a blond man, probably in his mid twenties, with a high ponytail and hair falling in front of one of his eyes, and he looked slightly winded, as if he'd been through some sort of strain, but as he noticed the devastation around him, a smirk flashed on his lips.

Jiraiya's eyes focused on Itachi and on what he was holding in his arms, a painful reminder of the last time the two had met –and just like back then, the sight sent Jiraiya's mind reeling.

The Uchiha heir was holding the lifeless body of Naruto once again, much in the same way as before.

Jiraiya felt his heart constrict.

"I am sorry we can't stop and play with you, un!" Deidara (that was the straw haired nuke–nin's name, though only the hunters of Iwa knew that) cracked his shoulders and pointed one of his hands at them, almost mocking them. "I would have loved to show you what art is…"

For a split second, nothing looked amiss –then a cut slit through the palm of the offered hand, and much to the shock of the Konoha nin, a tongue rolled out of the 'wound', showing the glint of teeth from inside of it.

A mouth.

Kisame shook his head, but he looked a bit more like himself as his lips twitched in amusement at his mate, then he returned his attention to Gai and Kakashi, glaring at them.

"I'd love to settle our match once for all, but unfortunately for me, this is not the time…"

Gai's eyes flickered to Jiraiya and Kakashi, who had yet to look away from the bloodied form of Naruto, still in Itachi's arms.

The teen wasn't moving, nor reacting, nor…

Shaking himself out of his shock, Neji let out a gasp and stepped forwards, activating his Byakugan to stare at the blond; he hadn't waited for an order, but Gai was not going to blame him for that.

Neji's eyes frantically searched his friend's body for his chakra, desperate to see if the teen was ok, but he froze when he found nothing.

There were empty pathways of chakra in Naruto's body, but no chakra was moving inside of them.

No chakra… the only time a body was devoid of chakra was when…

"He…" the black haired teen could not speak as he backed away bloodline deactivated, shock clear on his face. It couldn't be happening. He'd surely seen it wrong, there was no way in hell Naruto was… no, it wasn't possible that–

Chakra was part of a person's life. One could know how to use it, or they could never even be able to touch their pools –most civilians had chakra coils, but they couldn't use it– but chakra was still present within all living bodies.

Plants, animals, humans… everything living had chakra in them.

Even crippled ninja whose chakra coils had been burned to the point of being unable to use chakra –in a way, like Lee, who couldn't use it– or people who had been attacked by one of the Hyuuga family techniques had chakra within them, though they could not touch it.

But for the coils to be this empty… there was only one reason for that.

Neji let out a whimper. Years before, he would have showed nothing of his inner turmoil, but things had changed a lot for him. Naruto had changed him, showing him care, steering him forwards, and then having Shikamaru in his life, too…

Shikamaru only had to glance once at Naruto, and then look at his love, to know what Neji was trying to say. A weight suddenly settled on his chest, heavy and oppressing, and his breath was suddenly stolen away.

It wasn't possible. Despite all signs pointing to it, as his brain was telling him, he couldn't let himself believe it.

No…

"Uchiha!" Jiraiya growled.

He refused to acknowledge Neji's reaction, or the understanding, pitiful gaze of Gai, or the flash of pain in Kakashi's eyes.

Noticing the reactions of the Konoha nin, Kisame's smirk only widened. This was going exactly as Leader had expected.

Even though it had been a shock to realize their extraction had failed, there had been no time to ponder over what had happened, or how. They had recovered quickly, and with the approaching chakra signatures they had to act fast.

The situation was not good, at least not on their side; the extraction had depleted their chakra reserves, and although they could still fight, they needed to rest to replenish their energies, and a fight against a squad of hunters, not to mention the Toad Sennin and the Copy–nin from Konoha…

They could not afford it.

Still, the enemies were drawing close, and they had to act.

The Leader of Akatsuki had walked towards the unconscious body of the blond Jinchuuriki who had, somehow, defeated their jutsu, eyes wide to observe the new ring on the seal with a mild curiosity.

Then, he had turned towards Itachi, Kisame and Deidara and had ordered them to go out and meet with the incoming ninja without showing desire to attack –and bring the vessel with them.

He needed to research on the seal to see what had caused the failed extraction, and had kept the Jinchuuriki alive and the beast still inside him, but if Jiraiya the Sannin was there, there would be trouble.

The blond teen intrigued him now, and not just because of the seal, which obviously was nothing he'd done to himself.

To be able to stand through the pain of the extraction till the very end… yes, this was a chance to study the seal and the teen.

The man had thus coldly ordered the three to tell the rescuers that Naruto was dead.

It took the man no time to place a chakra–suppressing jutsu on the teen; he had worked on that one for years, shaping it to perfection. No one would be able to see underneath it, not even a person who could detect chakra signals in a body.

Not even the prized Byakugan of the Hyuuga family.

With that done, the Leader had left the place, and the remaining members of the group quickly followed, leaving behind only the three appointed members to deal with the enemy.

Itachi stared at Jiraiya with crimson swirling Sharingan eyes, face as emotionless as always, but he did not move to attack –instead he grabbed Naruto's hair, roughly pushing his head up so the Konoha shinobi could see his pale face.

"You were too late," he said, his voice low. "He is already dead".

Time seemed to stop.

Jiraiya and Kakashi, who had both been Naruto's sensei, could only stare at the lifeless face of their student, dried blood on his cheeks and chin, the white of death already crawling on him.

Naruto.

"_I am going to become the next Hokage, because that's my dream! You'd better believe me!"_

In a flash, the memories of that kid –his happy face, his foxy smiles, those eyes brightening up with mirth– passed through their minds.

Naruto was dead.

_Dead._

At once, the world shattered around them.

Seemingly satisfied, the Akatsuki turned away and disappeared from sight, leaving the distressed rescue team behind.

…–…–…–…

Cold.

The first thing that hit him was just how _cold_ he was.

Then, he felt something hard under him and stiffened, feeling the cold seep into his body even more, now that he was trying to move.

His body felt heavy, and he was strongly reminded of another time, though his brain wasn't exactly focusing at the moment, when he'd been this heavy and confused.

Shifting again, Naruto felt his consciousness resurface slowly, and groaned in pain. His eyelids felt as heavy as lead, and his entire body hurt so much it was a miracle he could still think rationally.

What… what was going on?

Fighting against the darkness and the drowsiness curling around his mind, he managed to blink an eye open, but it did him no good; his sight was blurred and unfocused, and he could see nothing.

Where was he?

Panic slowly grew inside him, but he tried to calm down, reassuring himself that he wasn't in danger, and slowly his erratic gasps subsided into slow, deep breaths. His chest hurt, but it wasn't as painful as before. That helped.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the throbbing eased away and Naruto could open his eyes again, blinking slowly. Above him was what looked like the ceiling of a cave, the rocks of a dark, greyish colour, and the air around him was very cold.

A part of him was confused about the cold, though –he couldn't understand what was going on, or why he felt like curling underneath a lot of blankets, but… it felt familiar.

Fighting the pain and the dizziness, Naruto found enough strength to sit up, and was shocked to see himself standing in front of a huge cage with a strange, faint red and blue glow around it.

With a startled gasp he recognized where he was, and why that cold seemed so familiar. He was inside his mind, or, to be accurate, in front of Kyuubi's sealed cage.

His mouth had a bad taste in it, a disgusting mix of vomit, blood, and sand, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand, noticing the cuts on his skin, the blood, and the dirt covering his whole body.

Then, looking up, he realised something important, and choked in shock.

He was still within his mind, and the enormous cage in front of him was still standing, and the seal was still in place… that meant Kyuubi had not been extracted.

The demon was still inside him.

But that also meant he was still…

"**Yes, you are still alive,**" a deep, grumbling voice from the depths of the cage in front of him echoed in the dark.

Naruto was confused.

He'd thought he would die. The pain had been strong, stronger than anything he'd ever felt before, and he had been sure he would die, then. Kyuubi would be taken away from him and used against the world by Akatsuki…

But there he was, staring at the demon Kitsune inside him, and he was alive.

Feeling like shit, but not as much as he would have thought.

"Why… how… what…" he couldn't concentrate on a straight line of thought, his mind still too confused and dizzy to really understand the meaning of it all, but it looked like the demon understood.

Bloody red eyes appeared from within the shadows, staring down at the blond, shuddering teen. They were, for once, calm.

"**Something flared up against the jutsu,**" Kyuubi stated. He was not explaining, he was merely relying what had happened, but his eyes held something inside that made Naruto stop trembling. "**The seal has changed to prevent the organization from taking my spirit away**".

Naruto gulped, feeling his sore throat hurt because of it, and blinked.

"So… there is no way for you to leave my body, now?"

Stupid question –it would only make the demon angry, he thought.

To his surprise, Kyuubi merely snorted.

"**This seal seems even stronger than the other one. It activated right when the older one was starting to fade**".

Naruto felt uneasy. It had been three years since his last conversation with Kyuubi, and, even if he remembered the words he'd spoken to him at that time, he still felt uncomfortable.

Kyuubi was a demon, and now that it looked like he would never get to taste freedom again, and that he would die with his vessel, Naruto was scared. There could always be the possibility that the kitsune would try to take over his consciousness, and kill him from the inside.

Especially now that he was tired.

Again, he was shaken out of his musings by Kyuubi, this time by a raw laugh. Yes, the fox demon was laughing harshly, almost amused.

"**I won't do anything,"** he said. The amusement was weird, coming from that creature. Also, there was a light hint of something else. Something that on any other being would have sounded like admiration, but this was Kyuubi.

There was no way he'd come even close to such thing, especially not towards his own jailer, a mere human…

It was…

Naruto had no time to wonder what the beast meant with these words, because he felt something abruptly pull him away from the cage.

The last thing he saw following him to consciousness was the amused laughter of the fox, and the way his crimson eyes flared into the darkness.

…–…–…–…

He woke up with a startled gasp, heart racing in his throat.

Blinking slowly, focusing his eyesight, it took Naruto a bit to realise that his body wasn't hurting at all –actually, he felt very well rested.

There was no pain, no twinge coming from anywhere on his body, he didn't even feel stiff… if anything, he was just a bit tired.

He was fine.

Despite that, Naruto felt panic fill him quickly as he tried to sit up, blinking to focus on his surroundings. He had been abruptly pulled away from Kyuubi's cage and the seal, and he didn't know why, or what had done it.

What was going on? Where was he?

Something tingled unpleasantly around his wrists and ankles, Naruto looked down, and as his blurry sight finally turned sharp again, he noticed the sealing binds that were still around his skin, and frowned.

There were still binds for his chakra on him.

That could only mean…

He was alive, Kyuubi was still sealed inside him, but… he was still in Akatsuki's hands.

Trying to ignore the dread mounting in his chest, Naruto decided to check his surroundings first, not sure about where he was.

He was in some kind of weird room with an old–looking futon (the one he was still sitting on), the ground cold under it. The walls looked made out of stone, so maybe he was still in a cave of some sort.

Oh, great. Caves again.

So he was probably in one of the Akatsuki headquarters; Jiraiya hadn't been sure if there really was one or not, since the members never seemed to group together except for some rare occasions, but apparently, one actually existed.

As he pushed sleep away, he felt something that put him in an even worse mood –there was a seal placed in the room he was in. He could feel it on his skin, like an oppressing prickle, and the strongest pulse was on the door on the opposite wall.

The door was wooden–made with a small portion of it made of crossed bars. It looked like a door from some sort of dungeon in a B–rated movie or something.

Biting on his lip, Naruto returned his attention on himself. There was no way he could get out from the room anytime soon, and he couldn't even feel Kyuubi inside him.

The demon's presence had been present at all times, during the two years Naruto had trained with Jiraiya –that had been a clear proof that Naruto's skills had increased with times– but now… he could feel nothing.

As if the demon wasn't there at all.

The unpleasant feeling reminded him of the time during the Chuunin exams when Orochimaru had placed a seal on him… only stronger. Back then, he'd felt as if something was missing, but now it was worse.

He didn't like the sensation at all.

That only made him feel weird, thought –without the chakra of the Fox at his hands, he felt like a whole part of him was missing, as if he was weaker… maybe he'd become too dependant on the demon.

It wasn't good.

From where he was sitting, craning his neck a bit, Naruto could see a corridor outside of the door, sneaking away into darkness, where he couldn't see it anymore.

Sighing in distress, Naruto fidgeted and touched the bindings on his wrists with a pout. He couldn't do anything with those on, but taking them away was impossible. Jiraiya had explained their purpose to him once, and the description of what would happen if one were to take away the seals without knowing how to do it had been enough to give him nightmares, really.

He wasn't stupid enough to try it without the aid of someone else, and chakra.

Besides… the lack of chakra –not just Kyuubi's, but his own, too– was making him feel nauseous. Was he even supposed to live without it?

Deep in thought about how to free himself and return to Konoha (he believed that someone would try to come and help, but he knew he couldn't depend on others, especially if his allies didn't know where he was), he didn't even feel someone coming close.

Not that he'd have been able to feel the man approaching even if his senses hadn't been dulled due to the lack of chakra and energy.

So, when the door cracked open and a voice spoke up, attracting his attention, Naruto was shocked and jumped back, gasping out.

The tone could have sent shivers even down Itachi's back.

"I see you are awake".

Blue eyes snapped up to the figure, whose body was only half covered by the usual Akatsuki outfit; there was no shirt underneath, the chest naked under the cloak, and Naruto stopped to stare at the weird tattoo the man had on there before looking up at the face.

The man had a well–built body, definitely in shape, but not too muscled, and the left part of his upper chest was covered by a brown, complex tattoo, tinged in black and grey at the edges.

Naruto couldn't understand what the tattoo represented –it was faint, swirly, and the darkness didn't help at all.

He looked fairly young, perhaps on his thirties, but the teen couldn't be sure about it, especially by the weird vibes he got from the man –as if he was both older and younger at the same time.

He had short, spiky black hair, and his mouth was set on a thin line.

But what shocked Naruto the most, making him let out a strangled gasp, were the man's eyes as he met them with his own wide ones.

There was no doubt about it.

Naruto was staring up at the leader of the Akatsuki, that much he could feel by his aura alone… but his eyes…

His eyes…

_They were completely white._

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** the first part jumped around due to my attempts to get to Akatsuki faster. Next chapter, another small mirror into Itachi's past, some more about Leader–sama, and… maybe… something that might make you happy.

Do review to make me happy!

_Oi–nin_ – hunters. Differently from ANBU, hunter shinobi are usually trained to be silent, and they do not mingle with normal shinobi. Haku posed as a fake Oi–nin during his encounter with Team7 in the Nami no Kuni arc.

_Nanabi no Kabutomushi_ – the seven–tailed horned beetle. It has been reported extracted by Akatsuki.


	12. Feral

**Edited:** 01/05/2011

**Warning:** _this chapter contains a lemon. Male x male sex. You will understand the reasoning behind such a short–notice lemon later on. The scene is at end of the chapter, so you can venture up to a certain point before it happens. I don't want rants or anything since I've placed such a blatant warning where you can see it._

**StarsOfYaoi****:** just what I said up there. Lemon. It's true. Don't rush off to it, please… be considerate.

As promised, another part of Itachi's past.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 12: Feral**

_A leaf falling from the branch of a tree is like a tear._

_It slowly rolls down, tumbling in the air with grace, until it reaches the ground, and there it stops, disappearing among similar leaves._

_No recognition at all._

_Forgotten._

_Why should one appreciate a single leaf? There is nothing special in a lone one, when there are so many more… unless… unless that leaf is different from the rest. Unless it's so different that even on the ground, it can still be recognised._

_Itachi knew that something was different inside of him._

_It took no time at all to realise it –after all, he was supposed to be a genius._

_There was absolutely nothing that he couldn't do; anything and everything he tried, he would achieve perfect results without wasting time, with barely any effort, no problems at all._

_Ever since he could remember, he had been able to do anything he wanted to._

_Whilst others would struggle and endure, trying to reach something that could be compared to perfection, mostly failing and giving up, he would excel, and it took him nothing to get there. __This simple fact was clear, obvious. Almost a given._

_Noticing it, he simply moved forwards, trying to achieve different things._

_He was different._

_Like a green leaf among red ones during Fall, he was standing out from the rest of the village, without him even trying._

_He observed, studied, watched and learned with emotionless eyes and equally blank face; he saw people look at him with admiration, jealous, envy, rage… sometimes even with pride. Then he saw them try to copy him._

_He continued watching them as they tried so hard to be perfect._

_Yet, because he was perfect, with no amount of doubt possible, he knew that no other person could ever reach to his same height; others would fight, forcing their raw emotions into trying to accomplish what to him was easy –and it was a pointless fight._

_Because Itachi was a genius, he had also realised something else._

_To be perfect meant nothing._

_It meant to be nothing._

_To be able to reach perfection would mean to be able to stop feeling. Perfection was ignoring what the heart, the soul and the mind told you. It meant to act without emotion. No one could do that –only he could. Because that was the way he was born._

_He felt nothing. He was perfect._

_And perfection without emotions was nothing._

_Achieving a goal without efforts, without putting your soul into the process, without learning from mistakes… it was naught but a shallow victory._

_Perfection achieved with no hard work was __empty and worthless._

_Soon, there was nothing to challenge him, nothing to interest him. Without emotions, the world was simply grey and dull and boring._

_Was his life meaningless then? He was a genius. The answer was simple._

_His father –the person whose eyes shone bright in both envy and pride– had never seen anything human in him, his eyes spoke volumes of that every time he looked at him._

"_You are perfect. The tool we always hoped to gain. Nothing is able to stop you, nothing can take you down…"_

_It was true._

_But the truth also was that he didn't like it. To be perfect, to be different… it also meant he was alone._

_Having friends, love, ties… nothing of that had a meaning to him. he knew what those words meant, of course, but the roots of what they were supposed to be, the feelings behind the words… that was foreign to him._

_His heart was empty. No one tried to teach him how to feel, but then again, to feel meant not to be perfect, and he was perfect, so… he felt nothing. Not even sadness at being treated as something not human._

"_You have no rights. You belong to me, to the family. I can't let you go to waste… someone like you shouldn't be hindered by anything… especially not by people weaker than you."_

_Itachi was different._

_He was a green leaf twirling among crimson ones –no imperfection, no flaws._

_His first kill had happened when he was six; a grown man in his thirties had attacked him. he could hear the older shinobi breathe loudly, he could feel him move around, trying to stab Itachi with a kunai, the grip steady but the reflexes slow._

_The shadows of the night had aided the man into coming unnoticed, but Itachi had felt him coming, his black eyes had followed every move of the man, no matter the darkness, no matter the speed._

_Itachi had then killed him with barely any effort, despite his age and the lack of previous experience._

_He hadn't felt anything as he had watched the man fall on the ground, dead, blood pouring all over his hands and face from the artery he had just severed with a kunai._

_So e__asy._

_Itachi didn't take much to find out that the man had been hired by his own father to test him –if he had died, he would have been worthless, because he wouldn't have been perfect._

_In fact, Uchiha Fugaku, his father, had taken pride in telling him so, eyes shining not with pride, but with lust and a darker, similar emotion –greed._

_Whenever he defied his father's desires by talking with others from the family, or even outside, Itachi used to try and act normal. His mask was, once again, perfect –even his own father, despite knowing of his genius, despite knowing of his emotionless state, had trusted that orchestrated mask._

_Every smile, every kind word Itachi used, observing others and how they reacted, every polite attitude was taken for granted and thought true._

_The man had thought he could own Itachi._

_But the tool, albeit empty and hollow, was still a tool that couldn't be held into the hand of that man._

_He felt no satisfaction in faking, but he felt no satisfaction in being himself, or what he thought was himself._

_He was nothing but a black hole, absorbing light, with simply emptiness inside._

_And then, something had changed._

_Someone had piqued his interest amongst the many red leaves –someone who had pretended to know._

_Someone had confronted him, telling him that he knew of his façade._

_That person had decided to stick around and observe Itachi like Itachi observed others, simply because he knew that the younger Uchiha was different._

_A deep tone had voiced his curiosity, carefully masked behind indifference, almost flat. "Have you ever wondered what it means to feel?"_

_His reply had been spoken with the usual soft tone, polite and empty. "I don't' care"._

_The light curiosity had then switched to a simpler amusement. "Will you ever try?"_

_Itachi hadn't even looked up at the other Uchiha as he replied. "It's pointless"._

_A mild laugh, "People say we are friends… but I want you to know that I am only using you"._

_Whether that was a lie or the truth –because Itachi couldn't tell… not with him– only this person knew._

_Still, such a phrase deserved an equally moderated __reply. "I am using you as well"._

_And that, at least, was the truth. Itachi never saw fit to lie to him._

"_That's fine by me. I want to see how high you will try to soar to continue your perfection. I want to know if there is something that can stop you"._

"_Will you try to find my limits then, Shisui–kun?"__ Itachi's tone was plain, but the little prodigy had truly wondered that._

_Black orbs flickered with amusement, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I will do anything I can to see if they exist, Itachi–kun"._

…–…–…–…

_Then, something else happened._

_Even as he fought, every battle becoming blurred and vain as the world turned more unreal as time passed by and he grew even stronger, one thing remained unchanged, and he was quick to notice what._

_He was barely coming into his teen years, but nobody seemed to notice, or care._

_There was no change in the way they acted towards him, no notice that they saw him as anything other than the genius, perfect, emotionless killer that he had become._

_Smiling politely, a nice word for everybody he met, meek and following every word and every order._

_He was the silent young man who was the first to awaken the bloodline limit before his sixteenth year of age._

_And through all of this, his father's greed only became more pronounced._

_There was nothing else__ in his eyes, no love, no care, nothing but this greed. Itachi had noticed, but he wasn't sad –he simply didn't care._

_His father had said that he should not be hindered by those who were weaker than him… but his father, together with the rest of his family, was weaker._

_When Itachi had seen his little brother for the first time, his mind had mildly wondered what was hiding behind such a pathetic, useless creature. Babies were weak. Helpless. For a moment, Itachi's mind wandered on the 'what if' about this little kid._

_Was he going to be a genius, too? was he going to be… like everybody else?_

_The look in his father's eyes was quick to answer the unspoken question for him; this little brother, part of the family, was naught but another red leaf._

_And yet, from that point on, Itachi had a clear example on what a father was supposed to be. He saw the growing disinterest towards the baby as he grew up, but there was no greed in the man's eyes –nor was there acceptance._

_And at the same time, he saw how his father's lips twitched into a smile that held no greed nor shady emotions whenever he looked at the baby. How certain times, he would even fuss over him._

_And by staring down at the toddler, who smiled and waved his short, __chubby arms towards him, Itachi realized that he was feeling something towards his little otouto –curiosity._

_Similar to what he felt for Shisui, there was a lingering sense of interest that kept him close to this little kid… to Sasuke._

_He was curious what the kid would turn out to be. If his emotions would show or not, if he would be strong enough to cause his father's eyes to shine with lust. If a red leaf could have a darker shade than the others around it._

_Power was everything their family lived for… but he was the only one to notice. The village loved the Uchiha clan, respected it, worshipped it… power, prestige, bloodline…_

_There was more than that, and Itachi saw it. The evanescent appearance of a family he wasn't part of… and it was then that Itachi realised something else was growing within him._

_Staring at__ his little brother, he was almost disappointed to see how blind Sasuke was. Almost. Not entirely. He had expected it._

_Sasuke was growing up like everyone else… but Itachi didn't think it was bad. He didn't want someone else to end up like he had, because people looked at him like one would to a tool, not a person._

_He didn't like it._

_His shallow perfection was everything others saw in him. Not caring to see underneath the underneath._

_Nauseous._

_Cold._

_But it wasn't until he saw something flicker in his little brother's eyes directed at him that he realised he had been feeling something for a while now._

_Sasuke was looking at him with a certain look that was not admiration nor rivalry, although both were present._

_His father stared at him with the same eyes. It wasn't his usual lust for power._

_Something stronger. Something bigger. Something with deeper roots._

_It was… hatred._

_Itachi could not just recognise that feeling, but he could name it and feel the signs within himself. Acknowledging it with its proper name only served to make it flare up even stronger._

_He was finally feeling something –disconcerting but true… Uchiha Itachi, the genius, perfect killer machine… had acquired an emotion._

_A strong, powerful, first emotion._

_So, without thinking, Itachi dedicated himself to fuel that first, deep emotion, this feeling, this first something he felt that was real, because feeling it made him more real, it made him alive, it made him –human._

_So, even perfect tools could be forced to feel, and he had to thank his father and brother for that._

_He could feel hatred. It was good to know._

…–…–…

For a second, there was simply silence.

Deep, thick and suffocating, closing upon him like a blanket.

Naruto was still sitting on the futon, unsure whether his legs would be able to support his weight if he were to stand up, and he could not look away from the person towering in front of him.

A trickle of sweat rolled down his temple, and he suddenly found himself grateful he wasn't standing; his heart was thumping painfully in his ears, his stomach was tingling, and he was aware of how cold the floor was under his hands.

Everything seemed frozen around him.

Imposing, with the dark mantle looking like a shadow on his shoulders, the tattoo on his torso standing against his complexion, making the man look almost ethereal.

The real shock didn't come from the fact that this was the Akatsuki leader, one of the most feared and hatred men of all the villages. Naruto had somewhat expected to see him, in some part of his mind, ever since he had realised he was still alive. He was in their hands –and Kyuubi was inexplicably still inside his body; no, what really sent Naruto's mind on a rampage were the man's eyes.

He'd seen such eyes before, even fought against them once, so he knew what they were capable of, what they _meant_. He knew the story behind them, and knew the massive power they held. Thus, he was completely shocked to find them staring down at him emotionlessly.

Blank, white eyes –the familiar bloodline limit owned by the Hyuuga. Neji's eyes… Hinata's eyes.

'_Wha…'_ he didn't know what to think. He had always supposed that Byakugan was a trait found solely in Konoha, so it either meant this man was a Konohagakure missing–nin, or there were branches of Hyuuga outside of the village.

Either way, he didn't like the idea.

Who was this man? Why was he displaying such a protected and coveted bloodline?

It was the Byakugan, there was no other option… so… what?

Neither Naruto nor the man spoke for a long time, simply staring at each other, almost as if considering each other's strength, one with confusion and fear etched in his eyes, the other with an empty stare that revealed nothing. It was even more emotionless than Itachi's, and the blond felt pressured by that stare.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Naruto decided to speak up despite his confusion, knowing he could not look weak in front of his enemy's eyes –even though he _was_ weak compared to him.

"Who are you?" he demanded, rather surprised when his voice didn't sound as unsteady as he'd feared it would.

Those white eyes did not blink, but a smirk graced the imposing features of the man as he straightened slightly, muscles tensing up. He did not reply.

"I said… who the _hell_ are you!" Naruto tried again, suddenly aware of the dark aura the man was exuding, and wishing he could back away from him, yet refusing to do so.

He had never felt such powerful aura ever before, and not even Orochimaru could reach that level; it was dark and evil, and it held the promise of torture and pain. The fact that he had yet to speak was unsettling, and Naruto felt panic double inside him.

He froze, a light tremor making its way in his body as a reminder of how weak, how worthless he was.

That man… was on an entirely different level.

Naruto looked away, breaking the stare with the man and focused his attention on the floor, eyes wide, trying desperately to calm down his trembling.

"No one is going to come for you, Jinchuuriki".

The man's voice was chilling, and for a second Naruto wished he had kept silent instead; there were no words to express what his tone evoked in Naruto –he felt like he had been pushed into a freezing pool, with nothing but darkness around him.

It had seemed deep and rumbling, but there was an edge in it… it terrified him even more than the man's physical appearance.

After the first wave of fear, Naruto focused on the actual words the Leader had said, and he snapped his attention back on the man, feeling his insides clench painfully; despite the lack of any particular emotion on the word 'Jinchuuriki', it was the absolute certainty of what he'd said that hit Naruto.

"What…" he blinked, meeting those empty eyes again, and Naruto was able to pick out something else. Even though he could compare those orbs with Neji's, there was something different between them.

The unnerving stare was… too blank. Those eyes weren't just Byakugan –they were unseeing. Unfocused. Empty.

At the same time, he had the distinct feeling that the man could still see him somehow, and _through_ him all the same.

Again, Naruto felt at a loss.

"You are dead… nothing but a tool owned by the Akatsuki," the voice curled around him like silk, strangling him with its false peacefulness. "To _them_, you are no more".

Naruto wasn't the most intelligent people on the planet, but he got the hint anyway –even if his brain wasn't working up to par in this situation, he still understood the meaning of the Leader's words.

He was alive, that was true.

_But he was lost._

…–…–…–…

Time lost its meaning for him as hours passed by.

The man had disappeared down the corridor without giving him another glance, his figure vanishing in the shadows of the cave, and Naruto was left behind all alone.

Seconds passed. Minutes. Hours. Eternity, or maybe not even an instant… it didn't really matter… there was no way to know how much time was going by. The only thing he was sure of was… darkness.

And that he was alone.

He hadn't given up of course, but there was _nothing_ he could do. He couldn't hope to be saved, nor could he hope to run away –he would have to be a fool to believe that. So, with nothing else to do, he simply watched time tick by in his little cage, knowing that sooner or later, his fate would be decided –and not by him.

He'd been captured and caged like a worthless beast, something inhuman, and he was only alive because of what he had inside him. he was like a caged dog, sealed to prevent him from running –as if he was nothing without Kyuubi's chakra.

Blue eyes stared unblinkingly at the stony walls of his room (_cage, prison_) not really seeing them. Thoughts filled his mind, coming and disappearing, each and every one of them faint and piercing all the same.

It was hard to believe that Kyuubi was still inside him and the seal had strengthened up somehow.

What was worse, his nausea never left him, adding to the general waves of weakness washing over him due to the lack of chakra caused by the wards wrapped on his wrists and ankles; after carefully checking over his body, he had found an additional one right on his stomach, above the Fourth's seal.

He didn't really know much about seals, but Naruto was able to detect the difference between this seal and the one he had on before the extraction. There was a new circle around the Kyuubi's spiralling seal, but to Naruto it didn't look like much.

If Ero–sennin had been around, he surely would know, he mused.

He couldn't even feel his chakra flow. Unlike when Neji had blocked his Tenketsu points, now Naruto couldn't simply feel the chakra. Back then, he could feel it move inside, with no way out, but now there was nothing that he could feel. No chakra, no Kyuubi.

Nothing.

He was alone, truly and completely _alone_.

For the first time in a long, long while, Naruto felt like crying. He supposed that in such a situation, anybody would feel cornered and crushed.

He had always been a positive person, and even after realising that he'd have to work harder than ever to get the respect he wanted –the respect he _deserved_– he still had never given up. that was something of him that others envied, his one true skill…

But now…

Now it was different. He didn't feel like there was a way out.

Three years of training, all his defiance, his attempts, his fights… it had been in vain.

Yes, the seal was working fine, even Kyuubi had to attest that, but Akatsuki was resourceful, and if they found out the demon could not be extracted, then his life was simply over.

Of course he wouldn't give up (he _couldn't_) but it was hard to find a way out.

Looking around again, Naruto tried to force himself away from his gloomy thoughts.

There were no windows in his cell, as it was a mere room carved into stone, with a futon and just a few candles on the walls, enough to cast a feeble ray of light that was easily disturbed by cool breeze. Even that light would be gone, as soon as the candles were burned away.

And the darkness, only kept at bay by the candles, advancing upon him.

He waited and waited, with only the sound of his breathing to keep him company, and the silence continued pushing on him, hurting his ears.

If he looked out of the door, he could barely see the outline of the corridor, and with the waning light of the candles, everything lost its contours, slowly descending into darkness.

Lain on the futon, with nothing else to do, he clutched at his arms desperately, fighting the mounting feeling of helplessness whenever his thoughts caused his heart's pace to grow erratic and his lungs to constrict, forcing himself to calm down every time.

This waiting without reason, the darkness, the loneliness… they were destroying him slowly, draining his energy, driving him to madness. Unable to sleep, he spent countless moments staring at the dark ceiling, his mind as blank as the Leader's eyes.

But despite that, despite everything, he still did not cry.

In the end, he had gone through so much, physically and mentally, and yet his spirit wasn't broken yet.

Again, something inside him shifted and changed, hardening against this new ordeal in order to get stronger. The darkness whispered to him, but his mind was calm despite that, analyzing the situation over and over.

Yes, his village thought he was dead –a part of him hurt to think that Tsunade, Iruka–sensei, Jiraiya, Kakashi–sensei were sure he was gone– but that simply meant this was something he had to solve all on his own.

He was used to that –he only needed to concentrate more on the situation at hand. Maybe he wasn't smart like Shikamaru, but he was resourceful, too. His mind was practical, quick. He could come up with something. He just had to relax and think.

Hours ticked by. The candles relit on their own, probably due to some weird chakra trick, then went off again.

He had yet to move from the futon.

Again, time lost its meaning as he stood there in silence, thinking and focusing on finding a way out, ignoring his hunger and the fact that after seeing the Leader of Akatsuki, nobody had been around.

He remained poised, forcing himself to react, ignoring the dark.

And then, in one of his moments of contemplation, as he had been about to let his consciousness fall into sleep, he felt someone approach. Two flares of chakra, one that he recognised, one that he did not were walking towards his prison, stepping in front of his door to glance inside.

The noise of their footsteps had been loud and sudden, shaking Naruto out of his daze as he concentrated on the two figures standing there.

For a moment, they remained on the door, then pushed inside without warning, and moved towards him.

Naruto's instincts acted up when one of the two figures reached out to grab his arm, and despite the fact that his body felt unnaturally weak, he reacted by slapping the arm away. A growl made its way from deep inside his throat, and he backed away from the two incomers, eyes flashing in anger at them.

As helpless as he was, he knew that if they wanted to fight him he would lose, but he was not going to give up either way.

The candles flared up for a second, brighter than they had ever been before, and Naruto hissed and covered his eyes with a sharp intake of breath, hurt by the sudden increase in light.

One of the two men in front of him chuckled amusedly. "He's just like a little animal, un!" the voice was unfamiliar to Naruto.

Still, an enemy.

"I don't care, we have to take him out from here and we will," was the curt reply of the other shinobi. Naruto figured out easily that it was the Shark–man.

"You're no fun at all, though," the first voice huffed, but didn't hesitate anymore, and the two swiftly grabbed Naruto by his arms, dragging him out of his cage.

Hissing and tensing his muscles, Naruto tried to stop them, but soon had to relax, knowing that maybe it was better to rest and wait to see what would happen; the change from the room to the outside wasn't sudden, so his eyes had all the time to get used to the growing amount of light.

His senses were assaulted by different smells coming from the rest of the caves, together with some sort of humidity that lingered in the air, and a part of Naruto realised that even though Kyuubi was separate from him, he still retained most of his enhanced senses.

Naruto took deep breaths as the stale, damp air of the jail became steadily fresher as he was dragged out of the dungeons, and together with the change of air, something clicked inside him.

He might have a chance. He was being dragged away, and he was weak, but maybe… there was still a possibility for him to get out.

Maybe he was not strong enough to defeat Akatsuki or even face one of them evenly, he had no chakra and his body felt like jelly, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try to change things to his favour if given the chance to.

After all, he was the most surprising ninja Konoha had ever seen, and he would show that to Akatsuki too.

He only had to wait. Something in him burned anew with the thought (_the hope_) that whatever stopped them from taking Kyuubi away would be effective enough not to break anytime soon.

Naruto was still biding his time. He wasn't broken yet.

…–…–…–…

Naruto was dropped off to another room, different from the first. It wasn't as dark, nor as secluded, and most importantly, it wasn't as cold as the older one had been.

That was quite an improvement, all things considered.

Akatsuki had tested him for a long time; they had tried out his energy and the seal surrounding his navel, calling forth their chakra and prodding at it, attempting to find a way to get the Kyuubi from him.

Hours had again passed by, and Naruto had been more aware of time ticking by now that he was again in company of other people, even if they were missing–nin.

They had forced chakra on his body, they had written seals and produced various types of jutsu, but every single thing had failed in the end.

The seal had resisted.

He didn't know if it was because of his chakra being blocked out, but none of the jutsus hurt him, allowing him to focus on the Akatsuki members around him.

After all, analyzing enemies would be good in his position.

When the men had started showing signs of impatience and building annoyance, he had been dragged into another room, still with seals around his wrists and ankles, but thankfully the one on his stomach had been taken away.

Blue eyes checked his body, forcing his tired muscles to respond when he tried to move them. He hated feeling this weak.

The Akatsuki members were rather different from one another. If he wanted to escape, he needed to know which one would prove to be the worst opponent, and what to avoid the most. Itachi was still on his top five, of course, but the Leader was the bigger problem so far.

How to escape without the man coming onto him to kill him or –more probable– order the Shark–man Kisame to cut his legs?

Konoha was waiting, he had to get his ass up and leave already.

For now, Akatsuki didn't think of him as a threat because he could not access his chakra and because he was still weak and unable to recover at his usual speed. Their eyes said nothing, their faces were unreadable as they stared at him, working on the seal, failing.

After what had felt like eternity, they had stopped. It was useless to be wasting more chakra on him, Leader had stated.

If he hadn't been too busy analyzing the room and its occupants, Naruto would have chuckled at that.

He had resisted their torture for three days, he was still alive to tell the tale, and Kyuubi was still inside him.

And most importantly, he hadn't been broken.

It took him a few more hours to realise that the room he'd been put in had not been locked. He was allowed to roam free in the lowest parts of the hideout as nothing important was left there.

There were many empty rooms, some filled with books and scrolls, but nothing that he could read or understand, and nothing relevant about jutsu. There was barely any light to move around, but the few flames on the walls were good enough for his eyes, and walking around helped him fight the growing boredom and the itch to just do something –_anything_– that was building inside him.

Still, walking around helped him cope, and he did so as much as he could.

Besides, his healing was taking forever without Kyuubi's chakra helping it speed up, and if he continued doing nothing for days to come, he would grow senile in no time.

Weak.

Naruto hated that feeling –the helplessness as he let Akatsuki poke him around, the weakness in his muscles, the way his body swayed around as he walked. At least Akatsuki fed him now.

If all his strength was from Kyuubi, then he had to get even stronger on his own. Was there any other way?

Unfortunately, if he wanted to do that, he had to get out of Akatsuki's control. So, until that moment, he just had to be patient and let his body rest.

…–…–…–…

"The seal can't be removed".

The amount of rage in the Leader's voice sent most of the members flinching away from him in fear of physical retaliation.

The last time the man had been this enraged, three villages had suffered, and they had been reduced to the point where nothing was left standing after he was done –not even ruins to tell there had been a village there before.

Coughing and calling attention on him, one of the members –a man with most of his face covered, with greenish eyes glowing strangely in the shadows who responded to the name Kakuzu– tried to explain the rest of the group what was going on.

On his own, Kakuzu was definitely annoyed. He had been called from his mission (capturing the Nibi no Nekomata) in order to extract the Kyuubi, and then he had been forced to remain at the hideout instead of gathering more money for the organization.

A definite waste of his precious time.

"The seal is simply a failsafe," he explained, grunting. "It activates when the main seal is attacked or in danger of fading away. The trigger is the chakra activation, and it converts the power of the seal from the first to the second stage".

"Can't we just do the jutsu again, un?"

A flicker of annoyance and Kakuzu glared at Deidara. Annoying blond bomber.

"No. Apparently, now that both seals are active, they will simply switch from one to the other, renewing themselves in the meanwhile. It's a never ending process and it feeds off the chakra of both the vessel and the demon".

He glared at the rest of the group, as if daring them to find a way out themselves; although his speciality was something else entirely, he had a vast knowledge in sealing jutsu, and he had been the one to prod and test the seal on the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki to see if there was a faulty point.

There wasn't.

He had seen four other seals during the extractions of the other Bijuu, but this was just the most complex and perfect one he had ever seen. In a way, he could understand why the man who had done it had been respected and admired for his skills.

Even though that creativity had ultimately signed the failure of Akatsuki's goals in regards to the demons, Kakuzu had to admit he respected the creator of that seal as well.

Too bad he had given his life in order to make it…

"There is no way to extract the demon from the kid," he continued, voice even. "If we find a way around it, both demon and vessel will die, and then…" and then, Akatsuki would never have the strongest of the beasts at their disposal.

And unfortunately, they needed all the creatures for their plans to work out.

Shaking his head, Kakuzu took some time to pick the words he needed. "The host is young, but his chakra reserves are absurdly big. Even separate from the demon, he has enough to put to shame most of us, although he clearly lacks the control. That is why we were forced to drain his energies through the wards to keep him there…" he grunted in displeasure. "I am not sure that any amount of research will make that seal crumble, either".

White, blank eyes blinked slowly, and much to the surprise of the other shinobi around him, the Leader's enraged aura retreated and disappeared.

Only one of them could see through the darkness around their Leader enough to notice the evil, cold and calculating smirk, and he had to shiver under the maliciousness he had detected in that smirk.

Leader had a plan.

"We will keep the Jinchuuriki here until we find a way to use the demon's powers to our advantage. Until then, the seals on his arms and legs will not be removed," he ordered.

The white eyes turned towards one of the silent shadows who had been staying away from the others. "Itachi, you will be appointed to watch over the Jinchuuriki".

Crimson eyes swirled for a second, then, without answering, Itachi turned and walked away.

The Leader of Akatsuki tensed, then he looked away._ 'For now, your insolence won't be punished'_.

…–…–…–…

Under the stare of the dark haired shinobi, Naruto felt almost naked; it was as if Itachi could see deep inside his soul –as if he knew everything about him.

At the light of the flames around the room, Itachi looked eerily like a statue. Naruto wasn't sure if he liked it.

The fact that Itachi was still looking at him made him feel uncomfortable –he knew what Itachi thought of him. He was weak and worthless, in the end.

If he hadn't been busy glaring back at the Uchiha, as if daring him to speak up, Naruto would have been surprised to realise that a part of him actually (_slightly_) cared about the opinion Itachi had of him.

After all, even if he was an enemy, Naruto had respect for the older Uchiha.

Naruto respected all his opponents. They were strong, worth fighting with, and determined to follow through with their actions. No matter if they were psychopathic killers or missing–nin or insane creatures that lived by taking over people's bodies, really.

It was something Naruto tried to keep for himself, though –he knew that many would not only disagree, but they would call him crazy, or worse, they would think he'd allowed Kyuubi to shape his thoughts.

Of course, they would be wrong; Naruto simply respected those stronger than him, and even those weaker, because physical strength wasn't the only kind of strength that he respected, and it helped him take seriously everybody he met.

Naruto could easily see the good aspects of a person –friendship, care, loyalty, strong will– but he could also see the darker ones. But most of all, he could see the difference between power and strength.

The Hokage was respected not because of his title, but because he was strong, and gave out an aura of reassurance and power, but under that, a Hokage was just like any other ninja –he killed, followed orders and laws. Some of which were right, some were wrong.

That was why the Hokage couldn't change the Hyuuga laws. That was why Naruto hadn't been told about Kyuubi.

And yet, certain rules were created to be broken, and that was why he strived to become a Hokage himself –to rectify the things no one before had tried to correct. But Naruto himself was a ninja, and even his nindo couldn't erase that.

He could not stop people from killing each other… it was how life for a ninja was. He could fight for his own idea of justice, he could try to protect his precious ones, but he was human. He couldn't stop wars.

It was something he had come to accept during the three years he had been training with Jiraiya.

If he wanted to understand Itachi, he needed to look underneath the underneath.

Haku saying he would protect the one he loved, no matter if others thought he was wrong. Gaara's attempt to love himself since no one else would. Sasuke… denying his bonds in order to grow strong enough to kill his brother…

They were all similar, in a way, but they all had one single point in common.

Naruto considered them friends. He respected them. They followed through with their own decisions, because that was what they believed in.

He might not agree with their reasoning, but he could _understand_. That was what made the difference.

Haku had died to protect his precious person. Gaara had closed his heart away so not to be hurt again. Sasuke had sacrificed his life for his revenge.

And Naruto himself, well…

He wanted others to recognise him. he wanted to be Hokage.

Their dreams, their goals… they were different and selfish, yet they were all important, because they belonged to them.

Blue eyes focused again on his surroundings, and Naruto realised that Itachi was still staring at him; he fidgeted, feeling something weird coil inside his stomach.

He didn't know why Itachi found him so interesting to look at, but those crimson eyes focusing solely on him… it made him feel weird.

Behind those crimson eyes there was a person Naruto was curious to see. Itachi had killed his clan, but Naruto's reasoning was lacking something. If it was hatred, what had caused it? What could justify the massacre of a whole family?

Was there a way for him to find out and understand? Would things change then? If he found out Itachi's reason and it made sense, would it mean…

Did he want to?

As Naruto held on Itachi's stare, not wanting to back down, he had to wonder again if he was doing it to understand Sasuke, or if things had changed enough that now Itachi himself was intriguing to him.

He wanted to know Itachi. He wanted (_wished_) to understand him. An irrational part of him wanted to be able to reach out to him, maybe, like he'd done with Haku and Gaara and Neji and Tsunade…

A reason…

Shifting slightly, Naruto stood up, weary and confused, and with the distinct feeling that maybe he shouldn't feel so at ease this close to a missing–nin –although he was rather sure Itachi would not harm him as long as the Kyuubi was still inside him.

Still, maybe he was insane. To not only respect someone like Itachi, but to be also intrigued by him to the point of being… almost… drawn to him…

Yes. Insane.

But there he was, standing in front of a mass–murderer, thinking he wanted to reach out to him and maybe understand some more about him… well, if that was how insanity was, Naruto was fine with it.

He wouldn't change just because some people might though he was insane now.

As others had done before him… he would simply follow his way. This was what he believe into. This was his nindo.

The Uchiha simply observed the younger shinobi, crimson eyes focused on his small pout and on the fact that Naruto was glaring right back at him. A part of him wondered how such a person could have endured fully the pain of the extraction.

The kid was a kid no more, really –he had shown more than just simple strength, he had a strong will, and his eyes had never lost their shine, not even under Akatsuki's control. Underneath the loud, foolish overconfidence, this Jinchuuriki was strong.

So, Itachi had observed him with growing interest, to see if Naruto would somehow disappoint him, to see if his will would break at one point…

Naruto had never faltered, unbroken and defiant despite the situation. That bright flash that was still burning now as he glared back at Itachi with equal strength…

That was a light Itachi had been waiting for, that had _intrigued_ him and attracted his _attention,_ and to see it coming from someone who had looked nothing special… it was unexpected. Naruto was different from the others Itachi had met before.

He was determined, bold, stubborn… innocent.

Something was burning inside Itachi's chest –a growing desire to own that light and tame it, to see the depths where that light could shine despite the pain he'd survived.

He wanted it.

Naruto's glare faltered when he realised that Itachi was, somehow, shifting closer. Slowly but surely, the man advanced on him, and he didn't even have time to gasp when Itachi was suddenly _close to him_ and he had him _slammed_ against the nearby wall.

Itachi's body was pressed against his own, and Naruto gasped, unable to look away from the swirling, hypnotic eyes as they moved closer and closer–

Their lips touched.

It was not a sweet kiss –but there again, Naruto hadn't expected it to be. Itachi's lips were cool over his, and the sensation sent a shiver down his back. It was foreign, exalting, completely unlike the 'kiss' he had shared with Sasuke back at the academy –that had been a clumsy mistake, and he hadn't liked it one bit.

But this one…

Oh, it was _different_.

Itachi's lips were cool, but the contact was burning hot (_Itachi_ was _kissing_ him. Itachi was _kissing him_), and it sent his mind reeling. All of sudden, Naruto had this burning _flame_ growing in his chest that he didn't know how to call, and the shock made his body freeze.

This was…

Then, Itachi's tongue was pushing his lips apart and –Naruto allowed him.

His body was burning. From his lips to the tip of his fingers, everything was on fire, even his lungs.

He was hot and dizzy and completely, utterly confused, but the sensation was exhilarating and delicious and tasted like a prohibited, sinful fruit.

Naruto didn't even notice it when he moaned into the kiss, attention entirely focused on the man who was kissing him, unable to concentrate or think but sure of a single thing–

He didn't want it to stop.

Itachi pulled away for a moment, licking his lips as they parted, and Naruto groaned again, feeling faint and dizzy; his hands moved to grasp at the older shinobi's shoulders, the cool, rough texture of the wall against his back a deep contrast with the burning feeling of Itachi's body against his own.

He wanted –he wanted to run away as far as he could, and demand Itachi to stop and let him go…

No –he wanted Itachi to kiss him again.

He wanted more –the contact of their frames pressed together, real and sharp, the tangy taste of Itachi's lips on him…

Any rational thought he might have had –_'he's a killer… a murderer… he cares nothing if I live or not… he hurt Sasuke, Kakashi–sensei, everyone, me,'_– had no importance at all.

He just wanted Itachi to kiss him again, he wanted more of the kiss, more contact, more of _something_ he couldn't name nor understand, a _something_ that was ok as long as it was _this_ _man_ doing it to him–

_More._

Naruto's thoughts blurred away again when Itachi kissed him once more, at first hesitant, then hungrily enough to make him groan again, tongue tracing the insides of his mouth, tasting him.

The teen's fingers tightened even more on the other man's shoulders, intoxicated with the taste and the smell and the feeling of the rough texture of Itachi's clothes against him.

Why was Itachi kissing him? why was he allowing the older man to do that to him?

Noticing that Naruto's attention wasn't lost in the kiss, Itachi's eyes flashed crimson and he applied more pressure on the blond teen's body, forcing him more against the wall.

Blue eyes fluttered close as Naruto easily let himself go to the feelings, not wanting to focus on the why. With Itachi kissing him, growling slightly against his lips, it didn't matter if the other shinobi was his jailer or a murderer.

His body was burning again, and Naruto idly wondered if that was what Sakura wanted to do with Sasuke –the thought was disturbing, but his brain was hazy, and he really didn't want to think about Sakura at the moment.

He only wanted Itachi to…

He moaned again, hissing in the dark when the world toppled around him and he fell against Itachi's body, then down on the ground, feeling the futon underneath him, cool and softer than the wall–

No time to think, no need to think, lips moving to his neck, sucking and biting down on the tender skin, causing Naruto to gasp out, shivering and twitching at the feeling.

Swollen lips parted to moan and gasp, fingers tightening their hold on Itachi's clothes.

Naruto silently pleaded for more –he didn't _know_ what that more was, or at least he only had a vague understanding on what it meant, but he still _wanted_ it…

Teeth and tongue and lips that bit, licked and kissed his neck, then moved to tease his earlobe, then back down to his collarbone, as if tentatively testing out what Naruto's responses to different stimuli were.

"Ah…" the pleasure was burning inside him, steady and _good_–

Naruto arched his back, his body flush against Itachi's one, and he gasped out when his lower regions were suddenly rubbing against the older man's body. It was entirely too pleasant, and he clutched at the raven haired man's body, shifting, demanding more…

A hand shifted underneath his filthy, ripped shirt, brushing against the skin of his stomach, right above the seal; the sensitive skin rippled with shivers, and Naruto groaned again.

He liked that –it felt so good, so fulfilling…

But he needed _more_. Itachi's hands on his skin, his lips against his own… please…

His next moan echoed through the air with Itachi's name in it, a plea, low and vibrant, and was promptly satisfied when his shirt was ripped away from him, soon followed by his pants. The sudden nakedness ashamed him, as much as the vulnerability of his position under Itachi, and the realization that this was (_sinfully right_) wrong –plainly wrong… _'What am I doing?'_– but everything blurred away in fire as those cool lips met his nipple.

He didn't even have a chance to rethink it –not that he would have, not with the pleasure, not with knowing that he wanted it…

He gasped as Itachi bit down hard, drawing blood, and then licking it away, pleasure and pain mixing together, sweet pain and bitter pleasure.

No desire to run, no fear of what they were doing, of what he was allowing Itachi to do to him, Naruto welcomed each of Itachi's ministrations as the older man licked and bit harshly on his skin, tasting and touching every inch of his chest…

"Ah…"

A strangled cry left his parted lips and he arched his body as a probing tongue ran through the intricate spiral on his stomach, and Naruto's sight blurred in pleasure.

"Ngh… more…" he didn't care how silly it sounded, he simply wanted Itachi to continue…

Legs parting on their own accord, Naruto arched his back, unconsciously offering Itachi an alluring, weird sight –that of a naked body not yet fully developed, yet strong and enticing all the same.

Itachi's Sharingan flared again, taking in the sight and the fact that it had been his own actions that had reduced the teen to this –a trembling, needy mass that still called him in.

It pleased him.

He wanted to eat him whole, drink every drop of sweat rolling down Naruto's body, grasp the meaning of that will that didn't vanish, own every inch of his body, of his mind…

Leaning down, Itachi stroked one index down the length of Naruto's length, tracing the droplets of precum slowly dripping down from its tip, and brought it to his lips to taste.

It was a vaguely bitter taste, not entirely unpleasant but different, weird –his hand moved down again, touching that erected arousal, massaging it as he'd done with the teen's nipples, curious at the loud, desperate keening sounds Naruto made.

It was so good –Itachi's hand on him, touching him so intimately when not even Naruto had much experience with his own body, and every touch sent flickers of electrical pleasure down his back.

Naruto was lost, so lost that when Itachi firmly grabbed his hips, twisting his body around, he barely had time to cry out in surprise, and then–

Cheeks against the cool futon, a finger coated with something cold and tingling pushing inside him, forcing its way against tightly pressed muscles…

"Ah!"

Discomfort –shame– because someone was touching him there, without warning, wriggling its way inside…

Gritting his teeth as the intrusion turned forceful, stretching him wide, Naruto closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on something else, unable to believe that he was on the receiving end of such an onslaught.

"Hnnnng–" he bit down on his tongue, feeling the metallic, coppery taste of blood as he tried hard not to flinch in pain.

A third finger was added, slippery and wet, and then Itachi was touching his back, and his fingers were warm and vibrating and the tension slowly disappeared, and…

The fingers retreated, and Naruto gasped out, breathing heavily, tying to shift in a more comfortable position before–

Once again with no warning, Naruto felt Itachi shift behind him, hands grasping his sides, and then he was pressing against him again, and something was pushing in, bigger than the fingers had been and…

Pain–

It hurt. It hurt a lot –it felt like he was being slowly ripped apart, and his brain was screaming _'Wrong! It's wrong! Make it stop!'_ but Itachi continued pushing inside…

Tears were rolling down his cheeks, his entire body trembling hard with the strain to keep himself on all four, but he couldn't really prepare himself for that, and Itachi was still pushing inside, and stretching him, and he was big and it wouldn't fit and–

Lust flashed through crimson pools as the raven haired shinobi heard the strangled yell coming out of Naruto's lips, the moment he was completely seated inside him.

The feeling, the sensation, the pressure around him was almost enough to make Itachi lose control –almost.

He didn't allow Naruto time to accept him, and started a fast, harsh pace, thrusting hastily into the blond, gripping his hips when he felt Naruto try to scramble away from him.

After the first few thrusts, which only deepened his pain, Naruto felt his body finally start to accommodate the intrusion, and he slowly forced his muscles to relax. Not knowing what to think, he experimentally shifted around, grunting when Itachi slipped further inside him, and opening his eyes again, Naruto parted his legs some more.

The new position had Itachi brush against something inside Naruto that made him shiver. He had no time to concentrate on the feeling, though, because Itachi didn't stop, building up a tempo that continued to rub against that same spot over and over.

Naruto groaned, feeling the shivers increase as the small spot inside him was continuously brushed against. He didn't know what to think, it felt good, but also weird, and…

A moan left his lips and he flushed crimson, unable to control his own reactions as the brushing turned the weird feeling into something better, more pleasant…

"Ahhh… hhnnn…"

Itachi had been momentarily lost himself, moving slightly around to test the various different sparkles of pleasure he felt while thrusting into the blond teen, but his attention returned sharply on the Jinchuuriki when he felt Naruto move back against him, moaning louder in want.

Eyes narrowed in concentration, Itachi pulled back, eliciting a deep whine from the blond, then harshly slammed back inside, aligning his thrusts differently…

"_**Ah**_!"

The reaction was abrupt –Naruto arched his back and wailed loudly as overwhelming pleasure blinded him, sending him falling forwards on his elbows, shaking and gasping out, shameless moans leaving his lips.

It was more difficult to breathe now, pleasure clouding his senses, pooling into his belly, burning his lungs… he felt like his body was floating in warm water, filling him with pleasure.

His loud moans turned even louder when Itachi didn't change his angle, aiming at the same spot over and over.

It was hot and good and Naruto could barely keep himself together…

It was pure ecstasy, moving like they were dancing, sweat rolling down their joined frames. One of Itachi's hands sneaked downwards to grab Naruto's ignored length, pumping it hard in rhythm with his thrusts, and Naruto swayed, too lost in pleasure to care about keeping himself up.

It was coming, burning up through his body like a flame, curling around him and Naruto's breathing itched, unable to control it–

Without warning, Naruto felt the heat and the whiteness explode inside him, shivering and coming into Itachi's hand as he cried out his name, pleasure cursing through his veins like a sinful poison.

Feeling Naruto's inner muscles clenching around him was all it took for Itachi to come as well, eyes fluttering close for a moment as he relaxed into the overwhelming pleasure.

Slumping down onto the futon, with the world unfocused around him as he continued shivering in the aftermath of his orgasm, Naruto wailed and gasped, unable to believe the amount of pleasure he'd felt.

Then, as he looked up to meet with the blurred sight of Itachi's face hovering above him, his eyes rolled backwards and he collapsed, unconscious.

As Itachi's breathing slowly calmed down and the Uchiha elder slowly stood up, sweat on his skin and shivering minutely, his crimson eyes never left the sleeping form of the blond in front of him.

He stared down with unreadable expression for a long time then, hands shuffling his clothes back to their pristine condition of before, still silent.

Then, without a word, Itachi turned around and walked away.

He didn't acknowledge that for the first time since (_forever_) a long time, his shoulders were not tense anymore, and he felt good.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** once again, please refrain from commenting on how hasty the sex scene was. There is a reason for it, it's not just me wanting them to get it on. Believe me?

And drop a review since you're there :D thank you!


	13. Unwanted

**Edit****ed:** 04/05/2011

**StarsOfYaoi:** as I said in the previous chapter, the sex scene was meant to be rushed. It was to prove a point –it was just a way to show a subtle shift of Itachi's perspective (as shown in the scenes about his past) and what he feels now. There was lust, but obviously no love. He wanted to claim. It was a show of power, and just that.

If you're still unconvinced, you can PM me. I'm willing to discuss it out. Also… it might or might not have been Itachi's first time, too. :D

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 13: Unwanted**

_Itachi stared at Jiraiya with crimson swirling Sharingan eyes, face as emotionless as always, but he did not move to attack –instead he grabbed Naruto's hair, roughly pushing his head up so the Konoha shinobi could see his pale face._

"_You were too late," he said, his voice low. "He is already dead"._

_Time seemed to stop._

_Jiraiya and Kakashi, who had both been Naruto's sensei, could only stare at the lifeless face of their student, dried blood on his cheeks and chin, the white of death already crawling on him._

_Naruto._

"_I am going to become the next Hokage, because that's my dream! You'd better believe me!"_

_In a flash, the memories of that kid –his happy face, his foxy smiles, those eyes brightening up with mirth– passed through their minds._

_Naruto was dead._

_Dead._

_At once, the world shattered around them._

_Seemingly satisfied, the Akatsuki turned away and disappeared from sight, leaving the distressed rescue team behind._

…–…–…

The day Kakashi and his group returned to Konoha, it rained. Hard.

The sky was heavy with dark clouds, water pouring from the heavens like a never ending stream of tears; it felt like the rain had taken away the sun, leaving only a grey, dull darkness behind.

With the wind blowing harshly around, it sounded like a whisper in the air.

Everything around the village was silent, and the rain was covering up all other sounds, dulling the life until it was nothing but a soft, empty noise. Drops of water hit the leaves, trickling to the ground underneath, forming small puddles under the trees, and the smell of rain lingered in the air.

The five figures walked slowly, unmindful of the fact that there was a storm raging around them, and they moved with their heads lowered to the ground, their eyes hidden and shadowed by the wet strands of hair.

Drenched to the bone, they appeared careless about it, too lost within their own depression to care much about the world around them.

Regretting.

Mourning.

It had been a long journey back home; none of the shinobi in the group felt like hurrying back to Konoha, too drained of energy to run and jump, so they simply walked. They moved almost mechanically, one step after the other, and moved on.

At least physically, they did.

Only the four ANBU, who had no attachment whatsoever to the Jinchuuriki were unaffected by both the rain and the darkened mood of their companions, but they had altered their usual pace to match that of the other shinobi, only running ahead to scout their surroundings for any possible danger.

The one at the head of the group was Jiraiya, but he wasn't leading as much as allowing his body to move in the front, not wanting to show the others his face, nor his eyes that betrayed his deep sadness and his grief.

He had failed again.

He knew he should have learned, but… he hadn't.

The thought was heavy in his mind, a painful weight that penetrated through him so deeply he felt nothing would ever make it disappear –searing pain, grief, sorrow… everything mixed together, until nothing was left but emptiness.

He had failed himself, Naruto, Yondaime…

He was a failure as a sensei, as a ninja, as a person –he had allowed someone else to die without being able to be there to help, and that was one more loss that weighted down on him.

He wanted to let go and disappear, he wanted to run away and never come back.

Another pair of blue eyes was gone from the world. Blue eyes that would never brighten up while looking up at him, asking for new jutsu to learn… just like another pair of similar blue eyes that had turned glassy and void of life many years before.

It was unfair.

_Life_ was unfair.

Jiraiya could feel the thin walls of his sanity tremble. This was too much to bear. It was his fault, everything was his fault, and even the fact that he felt this pain was his fault.

A ninja shouldn't allow others this close –close enough for it to hurt…

There was nothing but pain now.

Unrelenting, impossible to ignore. A pain that had blue eyes and whisker marks on his cheeks.

Kakashi walked right behind Jiraiya, eyes glazed over, not caring if he had the Sharingan still uncovered.

Everything he had worked for… was gone. He had tried hard to fail all the kids assigned to him, so he would not have a Genin team. He knew he wasn't a good sensei, so he had tried so hard… coming up with ways to make them unworthy of promotion, showing their lack of teamwork, everything he could come up with.

And with that, he had also tried not to allow anyone in, knowing that it was too easy to lose someone if you were a shinobi.

He'd failed, because…

Because then, he'd met with Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke.

Team7 had been his first team, the first thing close to a family he'd ever had, and despite his uncaring attitude towards them, he'd grown to care. They were some sort of reassurance, because they were growing strong under his tutelage.

It had been a long time since he had allowed himself to care for someone ever since Minato–sensei's death… and taken into account how abruptly he'd lost Obito even before, he'd been lucky to have lasted so much.

Then, together with his team, Kakashi had allowed himself to accept Iruka in his heart; in a way, it was thanks to Naruto that he'd grown to love the academy teacher, since the first few times they'd spoken was to talk about the loudmouth Genin.

Rare team–related speeches had turned into weekly visits, then daily meetings, and then… it wasn't long before they had started dating.

He'd had a team, and now he had a lover, and Kakashi had felt it would be good to just let his barriers down –because he'd found people to care for, because he'd foolishly hoped things would turn out ok.

Hoping that nothing would disturb that wavering balance.

And now…

Now one member of his team had defected, and another one was…

Kakashi felt his heart tighten in his chest.

_Iruka._

How was he going to tell his lover that the one person he'd considered his son was… how could he face Iruka with the knowledge that Naruto was…

Almost unknowingly, Kakashi pressed one hand on his hitai–ate and shifted it back down to cover his eye; the twinges of pain finally ceased as his Sharingan was put to sleep again, but that only made Kakashi feel the pain inside him double in intensity.

Nothing could make it go away –if he acted like a fool, if he denied what had happened… nothing would change.

Once again, Kakashi felt like a small, helpless child. He didn't know how to cope with the pain.

There was no turning back. Things were not ok anymore.

Walking at Kakashi's side, Gai kept his face sober.

The man could not deny the dread that the death of Naruto had brought in those around him –he could see it in their faces, he could feel it in the air around them… Naruto's death had weighted painfully on the four around him.

It made Gai feel pain, too.

Naruto had been a youthful person, with eyes that sparkled with the strong fire of determination, and now he was dead. Gone.

Gai was not an idiot. For how stupidly he could act most of the time, he also knew when to be serious; he wasn't shallow, he wasn't blind, but he'd seen pain in so many forms, reflected in the eyes of the shinobi he'd fought with, and he could not bear to see such pain anymore.

His cheerful act was a way to cope –like Kakashi's attitude, or Jiraiya's perverted self– a part of him that was as true as the rest of Gai was, but at the same time, it was the only way to hold himself together.

That was what made every ninja similar –each of them had the same dream, the same desire… fight and keep those you care for protected and safe.

Gai had grown to be a strong ninja in order to not see anyone suffer.

Every day, he fought a hopeless fight, never giving up, because if he gave up, there would be nothing left to wish for. No future. Nothing.

And yet, there were times when Gai felt tired. With such a loss, seeing how it had affected the people around him, one of whose was a dear friend of his…

It made it harder to strengthen his resolve and move on.

Uzumaki Naruto was a name that was going to be written down after a long list of equally important people who had died.

One more soul whose dreams had been shattered abruptly at a young age, and it was an important soul.

Gai had known Kakashi for a good portion of his life, but he'd never seen the silver haired shinobi so open, so content ever before… and he knew that part of this change was thanks to Naruto.

And Lee, and Neji, and the boy from Suna, the other Jinchuuriki. And the Hokage herself, and the Toad hermit. Naruto had touched so many lives, he'd changed so many people.

That was why Gai remained silent, facing the grief around him with a grim face, enduring the hurt he could feel as well, accepting the onslaught of pain with a stoic expression, because today was a day to mourn, and Gai knew how to mourn.

Another dream was disappearing within the storm, dragged away by the harsh wind like a lonely leaf ripped from a tree.

Gai remained strong, because that was the only way he could be of any help to those who suffered around him.

Last of the small group were Shikamaru and Neji, walking side by side; in a way, they were trying to take comfort with each other's presence, but at the same time, they felt like they were not really there.

This was not the first death they'd seen, but… this was the first time someone close to them had died.

Sandaime had been the first, really, but… this was different. Naruto was someone they had been close to for years, he was someone Shikamaru had played, laughed, joked with. They had been classmates, and they had been friends.

It was closer, raw, painful in a way that Sandaime's death hadn't been.

Naruto had been troublesome, in Shikamaru's words, but… the lazy teen had taken comfort in the brightness Naruto had.

He had been bright and warm like the sun.

They hadn't been too close when they had been at the academy, Naruto had been weird and Shikamaru had been too lazy to want to understand more of him, but then whatever distance there had been between them had disappeared with the Chuunin exams.

Shikamaru had learned to respect Naruto and care for him, and he was proud to say he was one of his friends. They _were_ friends.

He remembered whenever in class someone would insult him, Naruto would always be loud and boisterous, rambling about how he would show them all and become the best Hokage Konoha ever had… Kiba would mock him, then, since there was no way a kid like him would ever become the most loved shinobi of the village.

"_You'll see,"_ every time, Naruto would reply the same. With the same bright, determined smile. _"I will surprise you"_.

Shikamaru was sure by the numbness he felt in his chest and by the daze around his brain that he was in shock, but… he didn't care.

It was hard to think, his mind was covered with a thick, grey fog. It hurt to think.

'_Kiba was right, though,'_ he found himself thinking, hands tightening into fists.

Admitting that only hurt more.

It was only when he felt the coppery, bitter taste of blood on his tongue did he realise he had been biting the inside of his mouth too hard. Shaking slightly, he turned to stare at his side, where Neji was.

The older teen looked distant, dazed, and his face was so closed up even Shikamaru couldn't understand what the other was thinking, but he knew he was in pain.

How such a word could mean so much and so little all the same… pain… what was pain, in truth? Was it enough to explain the devastating feeling in his chest?

Was it enough to explain the damage Naruto's death had caused within them?

The dread, the utter despair that nailed them from the inside, like a beast wanting out, painfully and slowly.

There were not enough words in the world to explain all of that.

It felt like he could never smile again. It felt impossible to think that he could ever move on from something like that, and at the same time, it was hard to think that this pain was caused by Naruto's death, of all people.

Shikamaru sighed.

He wanted to say how troublesome the whole situation was, he wanted to deny the responsibility of feeling like a wreck…

All of sudden, he wanted to punch a tree, hard enough to break it. He wanted to destroy something. He wanted to scream. He didn't want to feel this emptiness inside.

He didn't want to see the same emptiness in the eyes of the person he loved.

Neji walked. And thought.

He thought about Naruto. About how he had continued living on despite what others thought, despite their despise. About how he had changed Neji's beliefs. About how he had fought every single day of his life only to be recognised.

Neji thought that it was all gone now.

"_I am going to fight my way up to the Hokage position. I don't believe in Fate. I only believe in myself. And I know I will work hard to reach my goal"._

Naruto had been shunned all his life, going through something that even Neji could only dare to imagine –despite the fact that his own past hadn't been happy– but Naruto had never stopped, not even for a moment. He had continued to fight against everything, whilst Neji let the thing called _Fate_ control him.

Fate is bound to stop you, Naruto, Neji had said to the blond once. His only reply had been a warm laugh and an amused stare, as if he'd thought the Hyuuga to be so stupid. Indeed.

All of sudden, Neji felt a bubbling feeling slither up his throat, and in order not to choke, he opened his mouth, and… he started to laugh.

It was harsh, clipped and raw, a foreign sound, out of place and wrong, but he found he couldn't stop; the laugh felt like coughing, like vomit, acid and bitter, hysterical and hollow, and it squeezed his lungs, making it hard to breathe.

In the end, Naruto had been proven wrong.

_Fate had won._

A pair of arms wound around his shoulders and hugged him tightly, and as Neji's eyes widened in shock, and the laughter continued racking his body, the arms holding him did not waver.

He laughed and felt tears well into his eyes, mixed with coughs and sobs, but the arms holding him were still strong.

It was overwhelming.

There was so much pain he felt there was nothing left inside of him as he cried his heart out.

'_Don't let me go,'_ was the plea he wanted to scream as his laugh turned into choked sobs. He did not cry, though the dry sobs were enough of a telltale of the tears he refused to shed, but through this pain, Neji realised something else.

For the first time, he realised the extent of the change he'd gone through. He'd been finally able to care for someone else enough to want to cry for him and at the same time, stay strong, and that was what hurt the most.

He finally realized the depths of friendship and love.

No word was spoken between Shikamaru and Neji, but they held onto each other under the rain, silent as they let the warmth of their bodies help them cope.

The sky above them was crying for them.

…–…–…–…

The news of the Kyuubi vessel's death spread through Konoha like a ripple on the water.

They slithered quickly, secretly, hushed yet revered at the same time, and though the facts had to stay a secret, they still found a way to reach every ear and every mouth. After merely a day, there was no person in the village that didn't know about the blond teen's death.

As expected, the reactions varied considerably.

Far too many people cheered. Finally, after so much time spent praying for this to happen, someone had gotten rid of the demon runt –more than one person celebrated during the night.

The streets echoed with laughter and happiness, and even though the rain was still falling around them, creating a sense of surrealism, people still rejoiced.

If anybody had noticed the tension spreading together with the news, they did not speak about it, ignoring the lingering feeling that felt like darkness eating away the light, but slowly, after the first few days, the village fell silent, covered with a thick blanket of stillness.

The third day, there was no more laughing.

Other people took the news differently. Some –few, but more than one would have thought it possible– suffered greatly.

Of those, the ones who took it the worse were Tsunade, Iruka and unsurprisingly, Konohamaru.

No one knew how Jiraiya had managed to break the news to the Godaime Hokage, but strangely, nothing had been destroyed; there was no lashing out, no noise, no screams of rage or pain. The silence was haunting, and it made those who knew Tsunade even more worried about her abnormal reaction to the news.

From the day Jiraiya arrived in the village and told her, Tsunade did not leave the Hokage room. No one was allowed in except Shizune, whose eyes were always circled with red, an aura of depression and defeat surrounding her every time she left the office.

It would have been no surprise to the shinobi who cared to find out that Tsunade had returned to her old habits, drinking herself to sleep.

She knew it wouldn't help –it was the same, old story every time– but she didn't care anymore.

Nothing mattered anymore.

Despite all her efforts, the curse of Shodaime's pendant had fallen upon its bearer again, and this time the void inside her chest was gaping open.

Once again, someone she'd grown close to had died, and even though both Shizune and Jiraiya tried to convince her she was not at fault, Tsunade just knew better. She'd fallen into a drunken, silent stupor and she refused to come out of it.

Iruka had also been devastated. There were no words to explain it.

Just like the Godaime, he'd also taken to stay in his house, and after a few days he had resigned from the academy. The only visitor that was allowed in his house was Kakashi, and even the copy–nin had trouble getting in for the first few days.

For three full days, Iruka had cried himself to sleep, alone in his bed, mourning the death of the student that he'd considered a little brother and a son.

Iruka was by no means a strong shinobi; he had never wanted to become an elite, he was contented with his status as a Chuunin that allowed him to teach the younger generations, it was the best he could think for himself.

He had seen many pass through his courses only to leave to become Genin, and he had cheered for all of them; he'd seen many return with their hopes crushed, and he had consoled them.

Some tried again, some gave up. Some died, and every time he remembered their faces, he strengthened up his resolve to be a better teacher in order to give his students a bit more hope.

He didn't want more of them to die.

But with Naruto, it had been _different_.

He'd seen himself in Naruto's eyes; they had suffered similarly during their childhood, and although it had taken Iruka a lot to warm up to the little blond, the bond they had created had been strong.

A family.

If he thought about how he had treated Naruto before, Iruka could still feel shame well into him. he'd used Naruto as a scapegoat, accusing him of faults that had not been his simply because he needed someone to take the blame.

It had taken a lot for Iruka to let go of the pain and see that Naruto had been the one to suffer the most.

Admitting he had been wrong had taken a lot of courage, because there were times Iruka was accused of siding with a demon, but he'd never regretted his change of heart.

How could he? He'd gained so much more –a family. A little son to take care of that loved him unconditionally.

And now he'd been robbed of his family forever.

Iruka was broken.

Konohamaru, at first, had refused to believe that his boss was dead.

He had closed himself into his room, keeping his friends outside and refusing to let them in. he'd cried and shattered every breakable item he owned, and the only one who had been able to reach for him had been, strangely enough, Ebisu.

The two had spent hours closed inside the little kid's room, quietly talking, and when the door had been opened again five hours later, and Ebisu had left the room, Konohamaru had followed him outside.

Unfortunately, his eyes had lost something.

Of course Naruto's death had been hard for all of his friends. Hinata had started hyperventilating the moment she'd been told, and she had to be sedated in order to not cause herself harm.

When she woke up, she had spent days crying silently, curling onto herself and seeking comfort from her sister and father.

Sakura had also cried herself to sleep many nights, the guilt of being the sole survivor of Team7 that was still loyal to Konoha eating her from the inside.

She'd lost Sasuke, and now she had lost Naruto, too, and neither of them would ever come back.

The rest of the Rookie9 had been silent for a long time after the news had spread, and even Kiba, usually loud and boisterous, had been deathly quiet, walking around with a defeated stance, with Akamaru following him with his tail between his legs and his head lowered.

Two weeks after Jiraiya's return, all the teens, Gai's Team and a few others reunited for the funeral; there was no body to bury or burn, but there was the memorial stone, where Shizune was going to carve Naruto's name.

It should have been Tsunade's task, but she had yet to leave the Hokage office.

On the day of Naruto's funeral, the sky was covered still, but for the first time in weeks, it was not raining, and the air was still heavy with the smell of rain, humid and damp.

The teens that were Naruto's friends, their Jounin teachers, Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon, Iruka, the owner of the Ichiraku stand with his daughter and a few more people had grouped together in front of the memorial stone, eyes fixed on the carved names, knowing that soon enough there would be one more on there.

It was a sad day for all of them.

Shizune's brown eyes looked slowly from the stone to the people surrounding her, silently nodding in thanks at Kakashi for being there, then she kneeled in front of the memorial stone, ready to carve Naruto's name on there.

Her hands were trembling as she slowly traced the last names on the stone, eyes lingering for a moment on the name of her own relatives there before biting her lip, ready to start writing, and then…

All of sudden, there was a presence at her side and she was abruptly jerked away from the Stone.

Looking up, eyes wide, she noticed a masked ANBU holding her wrist painfully, keeping her away from the stone.

"What's going on?" Kakashi growled, his uncovered eye flashing with barely suppressed rage.

"You are not going to write his… the _demon_'s name… on there," the ANBU hissed in reply.

Nobody could see the face behind the mask, but the disgust pouring from his tone was enough to show what he thought of the whole situation.

Many grimaced, anger burning deeply within them.

"Oh? And _why_ is that?" Kakashi stepped forwards, eye narrowed in anger, posture tense as he casually brought one hand up to his hitai–ate. A split second later, Asuma and Kurenai appeared at his sides.

"We don't want the name of that _thing_ staining the Memorial Stone. Many heroes have died fighting that demon, and we won't allow his name to disgrace them," the ANBU grunted in reply.

A few more shinobi appeared to back him up, ready to fight at a moment's notice.

"Naruto is… _was_ a shinobi of this village as well, and he loved it," Iruka cried out, anger clear on his face. His fists trembled slightly at his sides in both anger and fear, but he didn't step back.

For Naruto, he could face the strongest shinobi in the world, and he moved up at Kakashi's side as well, staring into the higher ranked ninja's face with no fear in his eyes.

"Naruto protected Konoha many times, and his name _deserves_ to be on that stone," Kakashi added quietly. His tone was deceptively mild, but chilling all the same.

"We won't let you shame the Stone with his filthy name!" another shinobi behind the ANBU yelled.

"And who are _you_ to say that?" everyone turned in shock at the sound of the voice.

It was Tsunade. She was standing there, proud and fierce, looking as strong as she'd always been, even though her eyes were rimmed with red and her face looked like she'd cried until moments before.

There was a burning inferno in her eyes, and at the sight, the ANBU and his followers instantly backed away, afraid of her dark, unforgiving aura and her stance in the village.

"Tsu–Tsunade–sama…" one of them stuttered, unable to speak.

"Leave. Now," she hissed. Her fist tightened, her stance ready for the kill. There was no mistaking her actions –she was ready to attack them, ruthlessly, fiercely.

Suddenly aware that they could not overpower the Hokage herself, the crowd that had been gathered together disassembled, and the ANBU was the first to leave, trembling in fear.

Shizune smiled hesitantly at her master, who returned her gaze with a fierce determination, despite the pain the younger woman could read in her eyes.

Kneeling in front of the memorial stone, Tsunade carved Naruto's name on it with firm hands and without hesitating. This was something her little brother deserved to have. He owned a place on that stone, together with her brother and Dan and Yondaime and Shodaime and Nidaime and Sandaime and everybody who had died in the name of Konoha.

He would not be forgotten. He would not be rejected anymore.

Tsunade stood up and looked at the soil at her feet, slowly breathing the cool air, in search of something to anchor herself onto as she finally accepted the fact that she would never see those blue eyes ever again.

Shizune was by her side instantly, holding her master in her arms as Tsunade started crying again, clutching at the younger woman's shoulders in support, silent sobs shaking her frame.

'_It seems__ like your desire was fulfilled, after all,'_ Kakashi found himself thinking as he remembered a day long ago, when Naruto had been standing in front of that same memorial, not knowing what the stone represented.

He had stated that one day there would be his name on there too.

And now his prophetic words had come true. Together with names of people recently deceased and others long gone but never forgotten, Uzumaki Naruto had a place on the Memorial Stone.

Not a single soul present for his funeral dared to leave, eyes fixed on the stone.

Not even as rain started falling on them again.

…–…–…–…

'_What have I become?'_

The question, unfortunately for him, had no answer, and it left his mind empty and his mouth tasting bitter.

Blue eyes stared unseeingly at the wall in front of him, wayward strands of hair falling in front of his face as he breathed deeply, dried tears on his cheeks.

Waking up, Naruto had felt sticky and weary, and his lower body had sent wave after wave of twinges up to his brain, demanding attention; for a moment, it had been hard to remember where he was, because for the first time in a long while Naruto had slept soundlessly and dreamlessly, probably out of exhaustion.

He felt tired and his body felt heavy, and it took a while for his eyes to focus on his surroundings as he pushed himself up a bit to look around.

First thing he remembered was the fact that he was still in the hands of Akatsuki, and he let his head fall onto the pillow again, feeling kind of depressed.

The movement, no matter how small, brought forth a stinging feeling coming from his lower back and up through his spine, and groaning, Naruto looked at his arms. He had a vague recollection that there should have been bruises on there, but they weren't there anymore.

His skin looked unmarred once again.

It was then that Naruto realised that he was standing on his futon above the covers, he was completely naked and really, really cold, and as a shudder racked through his body, Naruto tried to remember what had happened, because he didn't quite remember how he had ended up like that.

As his brain finally cleared and sleep receded, memories hit him like rolling stone, hitting him head on and assaulting his senses with wild, vivid images that sent him into a frenzy.

He remembered ghostly touches on his skin, not sweet and soft but rough and demanding.

Fingers dancing on his skin…

Hot breathing along his neck, moving lower and lower…

Pleasure from every small touch and kiss and lick he received, filling him completely…

Naruto sat up on the futon in a flash, hugging his knees tightly as he hid his face in his thighs, trembling the more he remembered.

Every touch, every groan, every small gesture –everything. He remembered everything of it.

There was no way he could ignore what had happened the previous night –he had allowed Itachi to touch him, and not just that… he had allowed Itachi to kiss him. To own his body so intimately that the sole memory of it sent his body into a trembling mess.

A part of Naruto's mind was screaming –the man had raped him, he hadn't wanted it, the feeling hadn't been mutual, Naruto hadn't wanted it at all–

But Naruto could not lie to himself. He'd never been that good with it.

'_I had sex with someone,'_ his eyes looked down at his own fingers, remembering how they had clutched Itachi's shirt like a lifeline. _'I had sex with a man… with an enemy. With… with Uchiha Itachi, of all people!'_

He waited, expecting to feel disgust, anger, hatred towards himself and towards the older man.

And he waited.

He was almost disappointed when no feeling of that sort resurfaced.

He had wanted it. He had wanted it badly, probably just as much as Itachi himself had wanted it.

Every fibre of his soul had craved for this kind of intimate contact that Naruto had longed since he could remember, and even if it was Itachi the one giving it to him…

Thinking straight was not one of his strong points, but, since there was nothing else to do, and he had to face his actions of the previous night (day, morning, whatever), he felt compelled to clear his mind.

The blond teen had to admit that a small part of him had been vaguely interested in males, although not exceedingly so… he still preferred girls –though, to be honest, the time Jiraiya had tried to lure him into a brothel 'to make him into a man', he'd escaped using a Kage Bunshin, feeling disgusted…

But that probably had more to do with Jiraiya and the brothel in se –the girls had been rather cute.

There was nobody to hold his heart either, because he'd finally managed to severe the last few ties with Sakura; he still loved her, but he'd grown to care for her as a friend, not as a possible girlfriend.

He'd crushed on her for years, but there were battles that were not worth fighting for –Sakura's eyes were for Sasuke only, unless she also learned to let things go.

Considering this, Naruto had to admit that there was some kind of twisted reason as to why he had been attracted to Itachi…

After all, no one in their right mind would confuse that Itachi was not only a genial shinobi, but he was also kind of hot.

Yet, going from accepting that to actually having sex with Itachi, well, that was another thing completely.

Sex and Itachi were not words that could possibly go together. Nobody would ever believe him, right?

Groaning, Naruto's shoulders dropped. He was really screwed up –both literally and metaphorically. But it had felt right… he had stared into Itachi's crimson eyes, thinking that he wanted to see the Itachi below the surface, that he wanted to _understand_, and things had moved from there.

He had ended up doing something unexpected and definitely more than he'd asked for.

Naruto was not one of those who believed that their first time had to be with their undying love or something of that sort; in fact, Naruto had a hard time believing something like that existed, really. He hadn't known love before, and that had formed a pessimistic attitude in the matters concerning romance and feelings.

He didn't believe he could find someone who would love him, but at the same time, he'd been open to the possibility. He wasn't going to let himself drown in depression or self–loathing.

If it had to happen, then it would.

But…

He hadn't expected to end up having sex with Itachi, either. It wasn't… it wasn't ok.

He'd lost his goddamn virginity to an S–class criminal –that wasn't fine and dandy at all. This was really fucked up. Naruto was a shinobi, but he'd been controlled by lust, of all things. He'd never really felt lust before.

It had attacked him all at once, burning his mind away, and he'd done nothing to control it.

He'd wanted to do it, he'd _needed_ to do it…

Naruto was not delusional. He didn't love Itachi. But he'd wanted him to get close, he'd wanted the kisses, the touches…

It had been purely physical, feral, demanding –Naruto had liked it.

He didn't know what to do about it. He was probably the very first person who had ever gotten (_into his pants, a part of his mind supplied him_) so close to Itachi ever since… maybe forever. Did it mean anything?

Well, Itachi was a person who had been subjected to lust, too. It meant he'd felt something.

Naruto was confused.

So Itachi had felt something… that was different. And he'd been lusting over Naruto, of all people… that thought sent shivers down his back.

Of course, he wasn't foolish enough to delude himself that Itachi felt something more than lust –he would not be freed from Akatsuki, he would not return to Konoha to live a wonderful life. This wasn't a dream or anything.

Then… what?

The thought that he'd done something of _this_ kind with someone like _Itachi_ disturbed him deeply; he'd labelled Itachi asexual (just like his brother… maybe it was something that ran in the family), but it appeared he'd been wrong.

The sex had been… good. Not that Naruto had a comparison for that, but it had felt amazing. Itachi had been in complete control, though his moves had been slow, as if he was learning where to go and what to do as things moved on…

Power and strength, and Naruto had seen it applied to sex too.

Itachi had wanted to own and control him, and so he'd done it, but he had been detached from the act nonetheless, not even undressing or relaxing.

There had been pleasure, and a lot of it, and the moment he'd been so close to Itachi (Itachi had been _inside_ him… nothing could be considered _closer_ than that), Naruto had almost felt safe –forgetting he'd been in the arms of Itachi, of course.

There again, he hadn't been in his right mind at the time.

Recalling the night before now that the only warmth was that of his own body, Naruto felt empty, lonely and used… and yet…

And yet, he didn't regret what he'd done. Even if it was fucked up, even if it was supposed to be 'wrong'… he had liked it back then, and he still liked it thinking about it now. _'Maybe I've really gone insane, huh,'_ he thought, although not as bitterly as he should have.

He felt _alive_. And _rested_. And he'd seen something different from the usual nothingness in Itachi's eyes –that had to count as something.

Itachi's hands had brought him pleasure –the same hands that had killed many in the past, and Naruto did not feel disgusted.

And even though Itachi had clearly tried to own him, Naruto was still Naruto. nothing had changed… well, aside for Naruto's thoughts now including sex and the feeling of Itachi's hands on his skin.

Would he ever grow to regret it, once outside of Akatsuki's control?

Naruto chuckled humourlessly as he cracked his neck and looked down at his body. He felt sweaty and tired, but he could feel his muscles, he could feel his hair, sticky and wet, and… breathing deeply, he could catch the scent of sex all over him.

He'd been caged for weeks, left alone in the dark, and now… he felt alive, more alive than ever before.

The feeling of being so close to another human being… served to remind him that he was still human, and it made him realise that Itachi was human, too.

There were other ways to understand him –he could look at him differently now.

Naruto shuddered as a cold breeze hit his naked body, and he was quick to retrieve his clothes that were scattered around, feeling sticky and dirty; putting them on again, his muscles relaxed and the pain lessened.

He needed to wash himself –he wanted to clean up. Maybe if he looked around again he could find some place to do so… well, if his legs were ok with him standing up.

Shuffling tiredly around, Naruto stood up and tested his muscles. In such a situation, the only thing he could hope for was for the seal to resist enough that he could return to full health and attempt running away.

As he assessed the situation, stretching his muscles and his cramped legs, Naruto felt calmer than he'd ever been in his life, and the thought scared him.

Did this imprisonment change him so much, or had he changed even before?

He hadn't lost hope, but he was calmly considering all his options instead of trying to rush into destroying a wall or something… there was surely a way to return to Konoha to show his precious ones that he was not dead, but right now, he had to bide his time.

His chakra was sealed away, and his body needed to rest and recover, and with the wards on him, this would take time, and… he _had_ time.

As long as the seal resisted, there was still time, and Naruto found himself believing Kyuubi's words –the seal would not waver. If anyone could know, that was the demon who continued desperately trying to get out, right?

Smirking slightly, Naruto looked at the stony structure around him. He didn't know where he was, but he would get out and go back to Konoha –they would not be able to stop him.

Careful not to hurt himself, he flexed his fingers, elbows and knees. He was healing. He had some more strength now. He was recovering… did that mean Kyuubi's influence on him hadn't been entirely blocked by the seal done from White–Eyes?

He was used to Kyuubi's chakra healing him, as the demon used the link between them to cure his wounds all the time… if he was still healing, albeit slower, did that mean a part of their connection was still somewhat active?

After all, he'd still managed to contact the demon while unconscious.

Could he try and see if he could use Kyuubi someway to break off the wards?

The thought caused his smirk to grow wider. He'd just have to try.

…–…–…–…

Itachi stared in silence at the landscape spread in front of him, looking bored.

The view was just a vast land of rocks piled up, with few, rare shrubs peeking out from among the barren land, which was somewhere on the borders of Earth Country.

He was standing on a small natural platform midway up to a mountain, a spot where he could idly observe around without being easily noticed; his eyes shifted sharply from one side to the other, the lower part of his face carefully hidden behind the hems of his outfit.

Still as a statue, the only things moving were his eyes and his hair, swaying in the breeze, the sun warm on his pale cheeks.

He stood still for a moment longer, then without warning he leapt down, his body falling free in the air, looking at the ground that was coming towards him in a rush.

The air crashed against his falling body, clothes slashing wildly around him, but his eyes remained fixed on the ground, his face expressionless, watching and biding his time…

Closer and closer to the ground as he continued falling–

With a graceful, swift movement he spun in midair, now parallel with the ground, and shifting the weight of his body he sidestepped on the side of the mountain, halting his freefall instantly.

Chakra twirled on his feet, attaching him to the vertical wall of the mountain, still once again.

Crimson eyes whirled crimson for a second more, then, abruptly, they faded to black.

With practiced ease Itachi walked slowly down the wall, finally touching the ground below and dispelling the stream of chakra he'd concentrated on his feet.

Looking up without his Sharingan, Itachi stared at the giant mountain in front of him and then flexed his fingers.

Something close to curiosity flashed through his black eyes, then vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

If Itachi had to actually comment on what had happened to him recently, he would have said nothing about it at all; while what he'd done to (_with_) the Kyuubi's vessel was unusual (or better then, it had never happened before), he still shouldn't have thought about it at all.

Someone like him simply moved on with things as he saw fit, and that was it.

Unfortunately, he couldn't do that. not this time.

There _was_ something to say.

Itachi could not deny that al evidence pointed to the fact that his body felt more responsive than ever before. His reactions were quicker, his attention more focused, and even without the Sharingan, he still had a sharp edge to his moves.

It felt as if years of tension had been drained away from his body all at once.

Recently, due to the complications that came with using his Mangekyou Sharingan, he had ended up having trouble keeping a tight grip on his chakra flow; the negative effects caused by his bloodline limit were still weak so far, but he was constantly aware of what would happen the more he used it.

So, as he concentrated on his chakra and it moved to him, easily flowing from his body, easily controlled, Itachi's forehead creased in wonder.

The pleasure he'd taken from the physical act of sex with the younger shinobi that had attracted his attention had been, unexpectedly so, deep and satisfying.

Before, he'd only ever felt pleasure in completing his duties and stretching the boundaries of his skills, but this was different.

The calm sensation he was used to was feeble and it always lasted less and less, not enough for him to taste it fully; there was no satisfaction in a perfect accomplishment, and less than perfect was not possible either.

He had never failed –unless it was his mission to retrieve the blond Jinchuuriki, but there again, he had accomplished that one too, now.

Failing missions wasn't often a matter of skills, but more about opportunity and luck and chance, and Itachi had long since learned which mission needed what.

In the end, the Jinchuuriki had been captured, and despite the impossibility to extract the demon, he still had completed that task, too.

Much to his own surprise, Itachi found himself smirking at the thought that after years of hard work, they had taken hold of the strongest demon that existed, and it was still out of their reach.

The demon was in their hands, but they could not touch it, nor use it.

Itachi didn't truly care about the organization nor its goals, but his disinterest towards the blond teen had morphed into the complete opposite. Naruto attracted his interest, and it had nothing to do with the demon he housed, though Itachi had to admit that the strength of the Kyuubi was enticing on its own.

No, it was Naruto himself that intrigued Itachi.

At first, he'd believed him to be just another red leaf, if only of a mildly darker tone than the others –during his travels, he'd found many darker reds, this was nothing new.

But there was something _odd_ about him.

That oddity was what had attracted Itachi, if the mild interest (which was indeed more than anything Itachi had ever showed for anyone else) could be called _attraction_.

Naruto was different. But not like Itachi had been.

Innocent whereas Itachi had never been so, cheerful unlike any Uchiha before him ever had, bright and positive –something that Itachi could not understand– but all of that was just touching the surface.

There was more to it… underneath the underneath, as his once–sempai Kakashi used to say.

Naruto was lonely. He was fighting against discrimination. And he was finding other ways to cope with it.

Pain had brought down stronger shinobi before, but it had passed over Naruto's head leaving him untouched and still standing. Any normal (_sane_) person would have snapped long before, but Naruto's eyes were still burning with an inner fire.

He had survived through the extraction while keeping his mind intact, through a pain that would have caused any other shinobi to break.

Maybe the look in his eyes had changed slightly, but the strength hadn't been lost.

The teen was still defiant.

Itachi looked at his fingers and closed his hand into a fist, controlling his strength, watching his chakra swirl around his fist before glancing up again, eyes moving to the secret entrance to one of the Akatsuki's hideouts, masked behind a Genjutsu.

Had the extraction happened as planned, the members would have been scattered already, returning to their original tasks until the next demon was collected, but now they were all forced to stay at the base, and that would bring even more tension between them.

The only reason they worked in pairs was to keep each other under control and make sure nothing that could ruin their goals happened… they had never cared about one another.

They'd have to stay there and try not to kill each other, but…

Itachi's smirk stretched a bit more; he would have more time to observe the blond teen, now.

After all, he still had to determine what kind of leaf Naruto was…

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** Naruto still can't believe in his strength without Kyuubi backing him up. That will have to change.

The reactions of the Konoha–nin had to be added in, so don't consider this chapter a filler, please… review?


	14. Benefits

**Edited:** 04/05/2011

**StarsOfYaoi****:** this chapter has a small lime, so the same warnings from Chp12 apply here, but not to the same extent.

I love how attentive you are of this fic. Some of you caught on small details I left out for you to see, and asked me about them! I'm glad for that. There are many small things you have still to notice, though, so keep an eye out ;)

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 14: Benefits**

Silence could be haunting.

It was not the deep, still silence filling the Akatsuki hideout, nor the kind of silence that surrounded Konoha ever since the news of Naruto's death reached the village, uneasy and grave.

No, this silence was even and complete, dark and imposing.

It was the kind of silence that wrapped itself around any living thing, eating it out from inside out, leaving nothing behind but wisps of mist.

There were many torches on the walls, so the darkness was less pressing, less present, but sometimes, if someone walking turned around just fast enough, they could see that the light was coming from somewhere else, too, and then they'd be filled with a deep, haunting sense of oppression…

The kind that can choke and suffocate, the kind that makes the silence deathly.

If the Akatsuki hideout appeared like an imposing mountain in the middle of nowhere, standing clearly against the sky, this place gave the impression of a snake's lair –and indeed, _it was_.

There were no corridors nor alleys in that place, but tunnels and holes that slithered and sneaked into the ground, spreading for miles, like a labyrinth –a trap that no one would be able to escape from.

In the middle of it all, the place from where every single tunnel and secret passage originated from, there was an enormous hall made of stone and something that couldn't be named; the ceiling curved high into a dome, but the torches in the lower parts hid away where the ceiling ended with the shadows cast by the flames.

It wasn't a beautiful place, nor was it scary, really –but it was oppressing.

It gave the feeling that something was always lurking in the shadows, ready to ambush and attack at the slightest chance –the shadows flickered in the corner of the eye, hearts racing wildly, breathing itching and trying to take a heavy, stale air into constricted lungs, eyes darting around, fixing on every dark spot, not noticing how the darkness coiled around the feet, advancing…

Right in front of the main chamber where all the tunnels turned into one, there was a smaller tunnel spreading to the left that ended in a big room with a set of steps carved in stone. The colour of the steps was darker than the walls, and it lead to a throne–like seat.

The throne itself was a stunning sight, with snakes carved into the seat, eyes glinting in the dark surrounding the throne like crimson gems.

A figure was sitting there, sprawled on the throne, the pale complexion of his face standing against the darkness, making the figure look like a ghost; a cascade of ebony hair around his face fell all over his shoulders, eyes close, his face set in an expression of contempt.

The figure, the man, was dressed with clean, white haori and large baggy hakama of a violet colour, leaning forwards with his chin resting on one hand, the other arm relaxing on his lap, fingers holding a sharp, clean kunai.

Sitting on the throne, as still as stone himself, the man didn't move as another figure walked into the room, kneeling as soon as he got a feet away from the throne, head bowed as low as it could possibly go.

For a long moment, neither of the two spoke, simply remaining in the same haunting, choking silence.

Then the figure sitting on the throne opened his eyes –cold, emotionless, unreadable eyes– and focused on the other man still kneeling in front of him.

"You're finally back, Kabuto," the man commented, his voice sneaking forwards like silk, pleasant but at the same time chilling.

"Yes, Orochimaru–sama," the younger of the two men replied. One hand moved to his face, pushing his eyeglasses back up with his middle finger.

There was a moment of deep, unpleasant silence, then Kabuto straightened a bit, daring to look up at his master.

"Like you ordered me, after I completed my mission I went to Konoha," Kabuto bit his lower lip. He had no idea how to reveal to his master what he had discovered while in the village.

Orochimaru waited, albeit impatiently, having recognized in his minion's face the traces of a well–masked shock.

"It seems… well, Naruto–kun was finally captured by Akatsuki. The Godaime Hokage sent a squad to rescue him, but they were apparently too late –Akatsuki completed the ritual and retrieved the demon from him, thus killing the host off".

At his words, Orochimaru's eyes turned sharply into slits.

Orochimaru had greatly despised the Jinchuuriki. He had dared to face him once, almost messing up with his plans, during the Chuunin exams, and Orochimaru did not easily forget those who wronged him.

The teen had been, although loud and apparently untalented, determined and against all odds, skilled. He'd grown strong in the short time Orochimaru had used to call Sasuke to him, and had almost managed to stop the younger Uchiha.

Orochimaru knew that he could not allow the organization he'd once been part of to get their hands on him, knowing what kind of danger they would pose once they extracted the demon…

That was why he had planned on killing the little Jinchuuriki with his own hands –or allow his little apprentice to do it himself– but it seemed he had been too late.

Akatsuki had gained another Bijuu, and that meant they would move to the remaining demon –the one contained into Sunagakure's Kazekage, the Ichibi no Shukaku.

"When did this happen?" Orochimaru grunted, urgency in his tone as his fingers played with the kunai he was holding.

"Two weeks ago, Orochimaru–sama," Kabuto quickly replied. "Godaime Hokage also wrote Naruto-kun's name on the Memorial Stone, but there was no body to bury".

Orochimaru frowned. "The body was not retrieved… why?"

Kabuto would have shrugged, but he knew better than to show such disrespect to his master. "Akatsuki took the body away," he replied evenly.

This was strange. Why would they keep the teen's body when the Bijuu had already been extracted? It didn't make sense. If Naruto was dead but they had not taken out the demon, that meant the Bijuu had died together with the Jinchuuriki.

There was no need to keep the body either way, and by his own experience with the organization, the extraction caused the instant death of the Jinchuuriki the moment the demon was out from the body of the vessel.

Why would they want to keep the body, unless…

"Is there any evidence of the Akatsuki moving for Shukaku?" he leaned forwards, eyes glinting strangely in the light coming from the torches.

Kabuto's eyes widened slightly at the sight and he forced his body to keep completely still, fighting the urge to step away from his master; the look in Orochimaru's eyes didn't promise anything good.

"No…" he finally replied, silently congratulating himself for managing to keep a steady voice. "They appear to be keeping a low profile for the moment…"

Orochimaru leaned back on his seat. So, that was it.

So he was right; two weeks were enough for the two members appointed with getting Ichibi's Jinchuuriki to rest enough and then move to Suna; since the stronger demon was supposedly extracted, the only remaining one was the one inside the Sand kid.

And yet… they had not moved in to take the demon yet.

It didn't make sense, unless… the extraction had been a failure. Maybe for the first time, the organization had been unable to get one of the demons from its container.

Orochimaru was a lot of things, but he was no fool; he knew that the person who had placed the seal on Naruto had been a genius. The Yondaime, no matter how much he despised the man, was more than just a genius.

He'd been capable of great things, and he had always been more than good with seals; Orochimaru was aware of just how many seals the yellow Flash of Konoha had created, but he would always be remembered for the last one he'd ever activated… the one on Naruto's stomach.

That seal had been modified and perfected by Minato for the sole purpose to keep the strongest of the nine beast at bay.

Minato had learned from the best, and had grown to surpass all his teachers. He knew what he had to do back then, and he'd done it splendidly.

That meant…

Either the Akatsuki had failed to retrieve the demon, and both Kyuubi and the Jinchuuriki were dead, or they had failed but both were still _alive_. Orochimaru knew that the life of one depended on the other, and, if they were to separate, neither would survive.

Normally the demons were sealed into babies because a kid's chakra pathways were new and growing, and they could assimilate a demon's chakra into their own without much hassle.

Very few times a demon had been sealed into an adult, and even fewer had been the men who had survived without the demon clawing its way out from the vessel's body.

But kids had a higher chance at survival. If the baby survived enough years, their chakra pathways adapted to containing the demon's chakra, and from there on, the only way to separate them was through the extraction or with the demon finally taking control.

Through the extraction the demon was converted into energy, its power converted into energy and absorbed together with the Bijuu already extracted. Then the vessel died.

Either way, it was usually the death of the Jinchuuriki… or both.

But Yondaime hadn't been called a genius for nothing; if the seal could even resist the extraction, then…

Then, Orochimaru was sure of it, the Akatsuki would never be able to take the Kyuubi away from Naruto. if the first time had failed, there would never be a second time. Yondaime had always been a fierce, protective bastard, it was obvious he would be twice as much deathly when someone threatened his own family…

The man's face turned thoughtful. Either way, Akatsuki was in deep shit. without one of their demons missing, they would never achieve their goal. No matter which demon it was, they were done for.

It was just amusing that the one who would mess with Akatsuki was the strongest of the Bijuu.

Orochimaru was definitely sure that the Kyuubi and the blond brat were both still alive, and Akatsuki was just trying to find a different way to extract the demon.

Unfortunately for them, they'd have to know the nature of the seal, they had to know the creator, like Orochimaru had.

Nonetheless, to the eyes of Konoha and the rest of the world, Naruto was dead. That could be an advantage in many ways…

A sinister smirk appeared on his lips.

"Why keep the news to ourselves then, Kabuto?" he said. His tone was low, silky and devious. It sent shivers down Kabuto's back, making him sweat. "I don't think it would be nice to keep Sasuke–kun in the dark about his fear friend's death… send him to me, then, will you?"

Kabuto frowned, almost as if about to say something, but he caught himself in time and simply nodded, bowing before vanishing from sight.

Orochimaru's smirk widened.

At least, he could use that information to crush any last hope his pupil had, if there was still one inside him…

…–…–…–…

Naruto was abruptly awaken by footsteps stomping his way, and when he opened his eyes, groaning, he found a figure standing right in front of him.

First he saw his feet, then looking up, the actual person.

It wasn't, as Naruto had first thought, Itachi –for that, the teen was actually grateful. He wasn't sure what he would do if he met with the older Uchiha so soon after what had happened between them…

The Akatsuki member in front of him was mildly tall and had straw–coloured hair, part of which held up into a high ponytail thing, while the rest of it fell on one of his eyes and all over his shoulders.

Naruto thought that the guy looked vaguely feminine, but not overly so –it was just a feeling, but he did not mention it.

The only visible eye of the man was open and staring down at him with what Naruto easily recognised as amusement.

The fact that this guy was staring down at him like that somehow made him angry, so he had to restrain himself from standing up to insult the man; it surely wouldn't be the right thing to do –he wasn't in the position to argue his misfortunes with one of his captors.

As expected, the man wore an Akatsuki outfit, and he was holding a bucket of what looked like water in one hand, while he was holding a few cans of food in his other arm –the food was the emergency rations that shinobi were bound to take with them during long–term missions.

Naruto blinked at the sight; he remembered the smell of this guy from somewhere, but he could not place where he'd met him before, if he even had.

Still, the smell was weird, and it made his nose itch –the guy smelled of burning powder.

"So you're awake, un?" the guy spoke up, his tone amused. "I brought you water, un, since I thought you would want to wash up!"

Naruto grimaced lightly at the inflection the man was using, but he was far too glad for the food and the water to complain too much about strange quirks.

Besides, he had his own, so he shouldn't be one to point his finger first…

Taking the bucket of water from the man, Naruto found himself ashamed when the weight of the water was almost enough to make him stumble; his body ached less, but his muscles were still weak, and he didn't like showing weakness to others.

Especially not to enemies.

Well, he had food now, even if it was emergency rations. He would eat and move around and train a bit, and gain back his physical strength in no time at all. Then, he would try to find a way out from the hideout.

Easy. Simple.

Staring up at the guy, who didn't look like he was going to move any time soon, he decided to wash himself later (he had enough self consciousness to feel uneasy about removing his clothes in front of another person), and to eat first, mostly because he was _starving_.

He didn't know how much time had passed since Akatsuki had caught him and had found themselves unable to take Kyuubi from him, but surely more than a week had gone by, and they had barely given him anything to drink, let alone water to wash himself with.

At least they were offering him something better. There was clean water. He hoped.

"Who are you, anyway?" he asked.

Naruto was one who disliked the silence. Really. And although it felt strange to try and start a conversation with one of his enemies (no matter how 'friendly' he looked), Naruto had already broken all rules by having sex with Itachi, so there wasn't much left for Naruto to fear.

Besides, he was bored, and this guy's presence was almost unnerving.

To be truthful, he preferred to talk with an enemy than to be left mulling in silence with said enemy staring down at him as if he was some weird piece of art.

"The name's Deidara, un! I had a feeling Itachi–san wasn't feeding you well anyway, just so you know," the blond shinobi nodded at his own words, and looked down at him as Naruto began eating the emergency food in the can, his stomach growling now that he was finally being fed.

The blond glanced up at him. So he was called Deidara. The straw haired shinobi moved his head to the left, allowing Naruto to recognize the symbol on his hitai–ate. It seemed like this 'Deidara' guy was from the Tsuchi no Kuni.

Something to remember, just like when Naruto had tried to carve into his mind the weird people poking and prodding at his seal.

This guy looked… far too cheerful to be a bad guy. Looking at Kisame, Itachi and the Leader of the organization, Naruto would have expected others like them.

There again, Haku had seemed harmless before he had tried to nail him down with senbon, so really there was no reason for him to judge a book by its cover.

Deidara's visible eye never looked away as the younger blond continued eating; the older shinobi noticed right away that this teen was calm and focused, unlike the time he'd been forced to drag his sorry ass to Leader, a few days before.

That time this Naruto kid had been feral, like a caged animal.

For the kind of situation he was in, the kid surely looked calm… Deidara had expected him to be loud and screaming… instead, he was almost pleasant.

The straw haired shinobi wondered if this guy was normal at all.

Unfortunately, pleasant as it was, the kid was making him bored. He'd hoped the kid would provide some entertainment since he'd been stuck in the hideout because of him, but no –the Naruto kid was too calm for Deidara's liking.

Damn kids.

Naruto finished eating, and was then presented with another can. He took it, wondering if he'd have to save it for later or if he could eat it and hope for more; he decided the food wasn't worth saving, so he quickly started gobbling it down.

He needed to get his strength back, so no time like the present.

Naruto handed over the second empty can, but the moment Deidara's hand stretched out to grab it, the skin on his palm was cut and Naruto jerked back, almost horrified to see a mouth –with teeth inside– open up on there.

Then, a tongue rolled out from it, and Naruto felt almost sick.

Still, despite the strangeness of the sight, Naruto couldn't help but think the mouth was actually rather cool, though his face only expressed the disgust.

Deidara, who had expected some sort of reaction and was actually amused at it –he got his entertainment wherever he could, really… the hideout was _boring_– laughed at the astonished, disturbed face of the teen.

"Your village friends had the same expression when I met with them, un," he commented, tilting his head to the side with a smirk.

Naruto's attention snapped into focus, and he glared at the older shinobi as he heard his words.

"You saw them?" he inquired, feeling his stomach tighten up.

"Un!" Deidara bobbed his head up and down. He liked seeing the different reactions people had to his mouths (one day he hoped to show the one on his chest to someone, too), and it wasn't like it was a secret to be kept. Besides, the kid was not going anywhere anytime soon. "Of course, then they noticed your 'lifeless' body and that got their attention the most, un…"

Naruto froze.

So the Leader had been honest about it. Konoha had thought he was dead because Akatsuki had shown them his body. But even then, he was sure that a group of rescuers from Konoha would notice the difference between an unconscious body and a corpse.

Naruto hadn't died –he was sure of that, thank you very much– so what kind of trick could Akatsuki have used to make his fellow shinobi believe he was dead?

With his chakra hidden away by the wards, maybe the rescue team had thought he was dead, but they'd have needed someone able to see chakra pathways with them, which wasn't an everyday occurrence.

His brain started to hurt, so he stopped thinking about it.

"Itachi pulled it off greatly, the bastard," Deidara continued, unmindful of Naruto's inner monologue. "Handling you like a puppet of Sasori–danna…"

Naruto froze and blinked. Itachi had been there too, then. He'd been the one to lie to the Konoha team, making them think Naruto had died…

The thought somewhat hurt more –and Naruto had no idea why. It was upsetting.

"Who was there?" he asked again, closing his eyes.

"How should I know, I don't care about Konoha's freaks, un!" Deidara laughed.

Hearing that, Naruto glared up at the young man, eyes turning into slits, emitting a strong angered aura despite not having chakra to back it up with.

It was one thing to put him down, as everyone in Konoha had always done, but he would never allow anyone to speak badly about his friends. Especially if the one talking was a guy with _mouths in his hands_.

"They are not freaks," he hissed.

Gone was the Naruto who would have easily started a tantrum. Yelling and waving his arms around was rather pointless in this situation, and Naruto had learned a lot during his three years with Jiraiya anyway.

He was not a child anymore.

Thinking about the way he had acted… he'd been a fool, and now he couldn't but cringe at the memory. How could he have others take him seriously if he acted like a young idiot?

No, things had to change. He was still the same Naruto, with the same determination to succeed and the same nindo to follow, but… now he wanted to back it up by showing his strength.

Besides, after everything that had happened with Akatsuki, thrashing around and screaming like a loon was the last thing he wanted to do; he had their full attention already, thank you very much, and he didn't want more from them.

Not to mention that Akatsuki wanted him solely for his demon. If Naruto continued using the Bijuu's chakra, nobody would ever see that he was strong on his own. Even Jiraiya had planned a training strategy solely based on the fox's chakra and how to use it at his own advantage.

That had caused a small problem, of course, but Jiraiya knew better now –he knew that Kyuubi was dangerous, and provoking him into using it was a bad thing.

Naruto, for once, wanted to be recognised not because of the stupid fox, but for his own greatness. He would shove it into everybody's ass, starting with Akatsuki and moving up to every single person in Konoha.

Uzumaki Naruto was not one to play around with.

Of course, prove that to others wasn't enough. He had to prove it to himself. He was a good shinobi despite Kyuubi. He was. He just had to find the right chance to show it.

After all, Naruto had come to realise that in terms of added power, Kyuubi was like a dangerous, enticing bloodline limit. It could be used only by him, there were pros and cons of using it, and it was not something that belonged solely to him.

The Sharingan was an acquired power, and Sasuke had used it to steal techniques without learning them first –like during the Chuunin exams with Lee. And yet, it was a strain for the body, and after deactivating it, the body was left drained of energy.

The Byakugan gave a great insight of people's chakra pathways, and helped dismiss Genjutsu, but it had a blank point and it didn't work if one masked their chakra pathways, or in Naruto's case, if he had two sets of chakra to use.

There were, of course, other drawbacks, but Naruto never had much interest for stupid bloodlines anyway.

Kyuubi was just like the Sharingan or the Byakugan. Helpful, but it didn't allow Naruto's own strength to mature.

Kyuubi's power was part of himself, but it wasn't everything he had. Being hot–headed and impulsive had been a bad idea in the past, and now that Naruto was aware of that, he could try and focus on what was important instead.

He had to think and analyze the situation and remember.

Naruto looked up stubbornly at the straw haired shinobi, who was clearly not affected by his glare; that was proof enough –he was still weak. He needed to take his role seriously and show his enemies and allies alike that he was serious about it.

If he truly wanted to help and protect his precious people, he could not run away from things; real ninja were not nice and forgiving. If you showed mercy, you'd be taken advantage of.

And yet, his way of ninja was different –he would find a way to be respected without being heartless, so that people like Zabuza and Haku could be saved.

Gaara was still alive, Neji too, and so was Sasuke. And… and also Itachi…

To be able to change things, Naruto had to come to compromises, too. One step after the other, he would manage it.

So, instead of giving up and accepting the fact that this man would never respect him, Naruto simply glared at him even more; one day, this guy, Deidara, would respect him. This wasn't the end, this was simply a start.

'_You will see,'_ he promised to himself, lips twitching downwards. _'Just wait, one day you will fear me'._

"Funny little kid," Deidara waved one hand in the air, dismissing Naruto with that gesture. "Denying the truth".

Naruto felt a ball of rage take roots in his stomach. He knew Deidara was just baiting him, but one thing was to poke him around, and another to mess with his friends. "You bastard," he started, seething. "You have no rights to badmouth my friends!"

He didn't need all of this –all his attempts at staying calm were being rendered useless by this stupid damn guy…

He wanted nothing more than punch the living daylights out of–

"Deidara".

Both shinobi turned towards the voice, noticing with surprise that Itachi was standing on the entrance of the room, expression unreadable and voice low and cold; his eyes were darkened charcoal pits as he glared at his companion, and for the first time, Naruto caught a glance of his eyes without the Sharingan.

It seemed to surprise Deidara, too, because the man hurried to move away from Naruto, eyes narrowed in something akin to disgust.

Naruto was too busy concentrating on the sight of the Sharingan–less eyes to care about what the straw haired missing–nin did, though; the sight was surprising, though Naruto had known at a certain level that Itachi's eyes were _not_ the bloodline limit.

Those dark, pitch black eyes looked wrong on him. his hair, clothes, even his mood were dark enough as it was –with the eyes, there was too much black there.

Naruto felt a shudder run through his body.

Then again, he didn't look bad either…

'_What the fuck?'_ he groaned, mentally slapping himself for his thoughts. This wasn't what he was supposed to think at all.

Deidara, not willing to admit that Itachi scared him –probably even more now that he was not sporting the Sharingan, a clear show of how he did not think of him as a threat– licked his lips and put on his best innocent smirk.

With a wave at the Uchiha, he stepped forwards, lifting one eyebrow almost flirtatiously before invading Itachi's personal space. "You were not feeling him properly, hmmm, Itachi–kun? Not to mention… cleaning, un," the expression on Itachi's face did not change. "Hey, are you listening to me?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed down, flashing with a dangerous glint that made Deidara swallow and back away, anger gone.

Without realising it, the bomber took a step back.

"Go away," Itachi stated simply, his voice cool and composed.

Deidara muttered something under his breath before waving dramatically and walking –_stomping_– away. As his footsteps disappeared in the distance, the silence stretched on them again, and Naruto mused that if not for his strange quirks, he would have enjoyed talking with that weird guy.

Even though he'd dared to mock Naruto's friends, he'd been a change in Naruto's monotonous life up until now, and he hated the silence.

"Clean yourself," Naruto almost jumped out of his skin, hearing the voice speak up.

Glancing over at the older shinobi, he found him leaning against the wall, dark and mysterious as usual. Once again, Naruto found his thoughts completely centred on the older Uchiha. He blamed it on the fact that there was nobody else to think about around him.

To try and focus on something else, he discarded his jacket and his shirt, and ignoring his embarrassment at undressing in front of Itachi –even though the other shinobi had seen him naked already– Naruto proceeded to clean himself up.

Unfortunately, his thoughts returned unwillingly on the Uchiha anyway.

He'd been into their compound, even if that day seemed so long ago now, and it felt more like a hazy dream than a clear memory, and he wondered, not for the first time, what could have sent Itachi over the edge.

He had exterminated his whole clan, after all… not just the shinobi, but… all the Uchiha living there.

Even the kids, even the civilians.

It had been a massacre, done without control, but as he shuddered thinking about it, Naruto glanced at Itachi with the corner of his eye and found it hard to adjust this Itachi with the one who had killed everybody.

Not that he wouldn't be able to –the guy was strong. Massively strong. It wouldn't be much of a stretch.

And yet… it still didn't add up.

Itachi was always collected and impenetrable, so what could have caused him to decide to end his life as a Konohagakure ninja and become an S–rank missing–nin?

Hatred. He was still convinced that hatred had something to do with it, but Naruto felt almost like he would step over some sort of boundary if he tried to get close to understanding. He was afraid of… of what, exactly?

It wasn't just curiosity, or need to understand Itachi in order to help Sasuke anymore. Nor because he cared.

But he wanted to know. It was like a flame eating him from the inside. Uchiha Itachi, in the end, interested him just as much as he scared him.

Naruto had never seen such power and control in a person. No one was as strong as Itachi was. The thought that he would be able to kill even someone like Tsunade or Jiraiya scared Naruto… but at the same time, it allured him closer.

_He wanted to know._

The blond cringed as cold water fell over the scratches on his hands, making them itch, but he could see they were fading quickly already. Trying to focus on his cleaning, he splashed some water on his face as well, delighted with the feeling of it dripping down his neck.

It felt good.

Holding on his breath (though not too deeply, as his lungs were still sore and would surely protest), he plunged head on inside the bucket, coming out spluttering and gasping but feeling definitely better.

The chill from the water was helping him think more clearly, and the dirt was being washed away from his body, and that was all that mattered.

He then moved to scrub at his arms and chest, wishing he had some soap or at least a sponge, but knowing that as a prisoner, this was all he would get; he was in a huge… place… somewhere.

He mildly decided he would try and find out where he was as his first course of action.

The teen's eyes lingered on the wards around his wrists, but he decided to ignore them for the present moment, seeing he could do nothing about them anyway.

He had completely forgotten about Itachi by now, as he kicked his pants away and washed his legs as well (with a huge sense of relief); there was a pile of old fabrics abandoned in a corner, so he limped to them to dry himself off.

The fabrics were rough and dusty, so he dragged out one at the bottom, relatively cleaner than the rest, and used it to wipe himself.

It was surely some sort of storage room, though anything even remotely dangerous had been taken away ages before, much to his disappointment.

He couldn't do any better, but as a ninja he knew at times it was best to be grateful for what he had instead of whining for what he hadn't.

He knew it could have been worse.

Stretching, he heard some of his bones snap, and turned towards his clothes with the intent of putting them on again…

… only to find himself face–to–face with Itachi, who was so close he could feel the older man's breath ghosting on his face.

He'd moved so fast and so silently that he hadn't been able to hear him–

Naruto yelped and backed away, only to bump against the wall with a loud thud. Berating himself, he cursed under his breath; he had completely forgotten about the Uchiha being there, and he was still almost completely naked, and…

Naruto paled.

He wouldn't.

He wouldn't want to do… _that_ again, would he?

Itachi simply stared at him, his eyes shifting from his naked chest down to the invisible seal on his stomach, covered with another sort of invisible ward, then looked back up again, dark charcoal eyes meeting with wide blue ones.

Naruto knew instantly what to make of the strange flicker that passed through Itachi's eyes, but knowing that it was lust didn't really make things any simpler.

He still didn't understand. What did Itachi see in him? Was it the power of Kyuubi that he possessed that made the older shinobi want to own him?

The thought was almost disappointing, but he chased it away.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Itachi shifted closer, invading Naruto's personal space and making his thoughts scatter like scared birds. The closeness was making him uncomfortable, the lust in Itachi's eyes even more so, and his body, despite his confusion, seemed to have no qualms in reacting to the heat.

"N–no!" he gasped, gripping the edge of the wall with both hands as he panicked, trying to find a way out from the current situation…

But he could not look away from Itachi's eyes. He was trapped, he knew it, but a good portion of his mind didn't really care about it.

Itachi didn't seem to care either, as he stepped forwards, close but not touching him, hands coming to rest at the sides of Naruto's head.

He felt hot and bothered and all of sudden, his entire body was tingling with desire mixed with fear and anger.

"No… no," he repeated, close to panicking. "I… I don't want it!"

Unfortunately it was a lie, and he knew he hadn't sounded as convincing as he'd hoped.

It was wrong, he knew it. The first time had happened so suddenly that they had no time to think. There had been only lust and desire and…

But this time, Itachi was taking his time approaching him, taunting him, and Naruto knew that if he just fought it, then it wouldn't happen. Of course, it was hard to fight when he knew he wanted it to happen just as much…

And he was sure Itachi was aware of that too, because he did _not_ move away.

"You're the enemy," he whispered, trying to ignore the heat of Itachi's body so close to his own, the need he felt to have him even closer… he shook his head. "This shouldn't be happening. It's wrong".

Itachi simply leaned forwards, lips hovering over Naruto's ones, then moving to the side, breathing on his left ear, making him tremble and stifle a gasp.

Teasing him, coaxing him into agreeing…

"There is no such thing as right or wrong, Naruto–kun," his voice was astonishingly void of emotion, yet it still elicited something within the blond teen.

Naruto's eyes fluttered close against his will, cheeks crimson even though, technically, Itachi wasn't even touching him.

He still shook his head, denying himself the inevitable.

"You are not betraying your village," Itachi continued. "There is nothing wrong with this…"

Oh, Naruto knew that Itachi was lying. He knew the guilt would be there, because it wasn't right, what they had done and what they would do… it was wrong.

Still, a part of him had hoped for Itachi to say those exact words to him.

Telling him that he wasn't betraying everything he'd ever believed in simply out of carnal desire. Telling him that he wasn't doing something horrible, wrong and selfish.

_This was what he wanted to believe…_

'_Fuck…'_

For once, just for once, he wanted to forget. He didn't want to think about what was reasonable and what was right, and simply… enjoy something for what it was.

But in the end, was this just something that involved Naruto and Itachi as themselves, people, or did it involve them as shinobi, one belonging to a village, the other to a criminal organization?

'_I… I don't care… I…'_

Because Itachi was so close, and Naruto wanted it, and he had to accept it by himself. Accept this on his own, and accept its consequences.

Was it worth it? Was it worth the guilt, the regret, was it…?

Naruto's shoulders dropped instantly, muscles relaxing. Maybe it wasn't worth the guilt, but he knew that he was not going to regret it either.

There must have been some change in his eyes, because Itachi felt the change instantly, and not even a second later, he was kissing him, lips descending onto his own, tongue slipping past his unresisting lips to taste him again.

Naruto moaned into the kiss, fingers curling on Itachi's shirt right over his chest. Hesitantly, he tried to kiss back, fighting Itachi's tongue with his own; the retaliation was instantaneous –Itachi growled lowly and the intensity of the kiss doubled, making Naruto moan and submit.

Again and again Itachi kissed him, barely allowing him to breathe between a kiss and another.

It was hot and pleasant, and Naruto found himself wanting more –even as they kissed, it was still not enough, he needed more…

Itachi moved to kiss his neck, harshly biting into it only to lick at the abused spot moments later, and Naruto frowned, not bothering to restrain himself from moaning.

Again, he was almost naked while Itachi had all of his clothes on, and it bothered him. Itachi was handsome, and he would have wanted to see more of what was underneath his clothes… he'd not seen anything the night before, either…

"Ahhnn…" Naruto shivered, biting his lips hard when Itachi started licking a spot right underneath his ear that was particularly sensitive.

God, it felt so good…

Still, trying to keep focused, Naruto lowered his hands, fingering the hem of Itachi's shirt and slipping underneath, barely brushing his fingers against the naked skin underneath–

In the blink of an eye, Naruto found his arms pinned above his head, Itachi's eyes glaring into his own, full with…

Itachi had reacted so abruptly, taking control again, but there was something in his eyes that told Naruto this had nothing to do with his desire to control.

'_What… he… he doesn't like to be touched…?'_

There was no time to ponder over this realisation, because Itachi was pulling down his boxers, and Naruto gasped, feeling far too _naked_ –in more than one sense– and exposed to the heated glare of the older shinobi.

Then, Itachi pulled something from the folds of his mantle, and Naruto had only an instant to see a small container being popped open, filling the air with a soft scent, then Itachi was coating his fingers with a slippery substance, and…

"Agh!"

Two fingers penetrated him without hesitation. There was no time to adjust or understand what was happening, Itachi was pushing inside with both fingers, stretching and moving with purpose, as if knowing exactly where to go and–

Naruto opened his mouth wide, gasping and choking on the feeling, then…

Sparkles of pleasure started building in him, aided by the lust he felt and the heat that Itachi's body provided, pressed against him, as Itachi rubbed and stretched and prodded, as if he'd known the right spot…

H–how…

Not allowing Naruto a second to come to terms with the pleasure, Itachi continued with methodical moved, rubbing and touching and digging deeper and deeper…

"Ah… aaah… y–yes…"

The fingers stopped rubbing, retreating before pushing inside again, and all thoughts about power, control or whatever were shattered at the pleasure cursing through his body.

So damn good –every single twist and push inside was perfectly spot on, and Naruto slumped against him, trapped between the wall and Itachi's body, unable to do anything but hold onto the other's body, crying out without shame.

"Ah… ah…" in rhythm with the vicious thrusts, Naruto found himself gasping and pushing down to meet Itachi's fingers, nails digging into the folds of the black cloak, legs wound tightly around Itachi's waist.

It was coming –fast and blinding and so good, and Naruto could do nothing to stop it, the white burning pleasure concentrating in his stomach and growing…

"Ah… y–yes… I–Itachi…" _'more, more… more…'_

Naruto cried loudly as he came, riding the pleasure with his head thrown back against the cold stones of the wall, frame trembling as he allowed Itachi to hold on his weight.

Slowly, gasping and panting and shivering wildly, Naruto felt the pleasure recede enough for him to gather his bearings again, and he became suddenly aware that Itachi had been staring intently at him during the whole thing.

His cheeks turning crimson, Naruto shifted away, but Itachi's fingers were still lodged deeply inside him, and every breath made them brush against his inner walls, making him moan.

He'd been looking at him so intently…

Itachi slowly pulled his fingers out with a soft wet sound, and Naruto groaned, half aroused and half ashamed, only to gasp in utter shock as Itachi brought them up to his mouth and started cleaning them with his tongue.

The way that tongue moved around his fingers, sensuously… Naruto felt himself close to fainting at the erotic display, so much that when Itachi dipped his hand again into the small container, Naruto didn't do as much as blink.

Slowly, those fingers returned inside him, finishing their job to stretch him.

Naruto carefully leaned forwards, his forehead resting on Itachi's chest, and allowed his muscles to relax, holding onto Itachi's shoulders when the older shinobi lowered his own pants, preparing to penetrate him.

When he did, shifting inside as if he was born to be there, Naruto could only close his eyes and moan, because God, yes. He wanted it all, and he definitely was looking forwards to what was coming.

Literally.

…–…–…–…

Two figures were crouched in front of a third one, whose face was disfigured by an angered grimace.

Black hair fell over his white, blank eyes, now mere slits due to his rage, killer intent pouring from his body in such an amount that the two Akatsuki members bowing to him were trembling without being able to stop.

They both knew that it would take nothing for the leader to snap, and if it happened, the chance of survival was next to none.

The reason for Leader's anger was, in truth, simple enough.

They had tried everything they could in order to break the seal, but nothing had worked. It didn't fade, it didn't falter, _it didn't disappear_.

Which posed a big problem, since without a demon, their entire quest had been for naught; without the strongest youkai absorbed within the Beast, they were stumped.

During the last two years, the Akatsuki had managed to capture almost all Bijuu, included two of the wild ones that had not been sealed inside a human, and now they only needed two –Kyuubi and the Ichibi no Shukaku, residing within Sunagakure's Kazekage.

Even the Hachibi had proved to be no match for Akatsuki, despite his extreme strength and how his host had valiantly fought … in the end, he had been captured and the demon had been extracted.

That didn't mean they would be fine without the Kyuubi –it was not only the strongest of the demons, but also the one whose power attuned to the Beast. Without its presence, there would be no merging, and were they to try, they would probably die during the backlash.

Or in the best case, the demons contained within the Beast would be released, either to disappear or revert to their Bijuu forms.

The leader of the Akatsuki tried to calm himself down. He hadn't devoted so much of his time on this quest only to watch as it crashed when he was so close to completing it. He simply needed to find another way to take control of the Kyuubi, as simple as that.

He was a patient man, he would surely be able to wait some more.

Kakuzu, feeling the waves of homicidal intent grow thicker, for a moment feared for his life. He was old, and had seen much in his life, but the pressure this man could create was nothing like he'd ever experienced before.

It turned his mind into a confused mess, and the same could be said for his partner, who was by far the most impulsive and harsh of all people he'd ever met.

Which proved to be his downfall, because the moment the silver haired shinobi opened his mouth to talk, Kakuzu knew instantly he would say something wrong.

After all, Hidan, self–proclaimed priest of Jashin, was not known to be a level–headed, contemplative person. Quite the contrary. And he also didn't like to bow for beings that were not his adored Kami–sama Jashin, either…

"Kyoohei–sama, what if…"

He had no time to say anything more, because he was suddenly flung across the room, slamming hard against the opposite wall, crashing through it and spitting up blood as he slumped down on the cold floor.

Kakuzu cringed.

Hidan had made a mistake.

A split second later, Hidan found himself staring deeply into white, sightless eyes which seemed to reach far within him like two blank voids. For a moment, Hidan wondered if that was how Jashin looked –then, a hand curled around his throat, constricting his pipe enough that his lungs started protesting, needing the air back.

He gasped, and felt the fingers tighten again.

"There is a _price_ to pay for whoever speaks _that_ name aloud," Leader's voice was low as he hissed venomously, tone betraying his fury. "Or what comes after that… it belongs to someone else, not me".

Hidan wasn't a normal person. Actually, the fact that he believed in Jashin and devoted most of his time to kill people in his name should have been enough of a telltale sign that he was not normal.

But the real surprise was one that many enemies had felt during their fights against him, when they had regrettably discovered that he would _not_ die.

In fact, in the underground black market and as a side note in many Bingo Books, Hidan was casually referred as the Cockroach Priest.

That was also the cause of much of his arrogance and pompous attitude… but of course, in presence of a person who could very well use his own immortality to inflict him an amount of pain that would make him beg for death, Hidan was quick to backtrack and beg for his life… or death… or something.

"I'm… sorry…" he gasped, eyes wide, showing his fear. "Leader–sama… please forgive my impudence…"

The hand tightened its grip for a second more, then finally released him; Hidan fell on the floor again, coughing hard. The Leader stared down at him with an unreadable expression, knowing that there was no point in punishing him any more.

"That was your last warning," he hissed.

Hidan was quick to nod, returning to his position next to Kakuzu, who almost felt bad for him. Almost.

Still Hidan had been saying something, hadn't he? "What were you saying?" the Leader inquired, returning to his previous spot as well.

Hidan found himself unable to swallow, so he continued with a raw tone. "The seal prevents the demon from coming out. What if it's the boy the one digging into the reserves of chakra of the demon? If the boy loses control, he will allow his chakra to blend with that of Kyuubi, and…" he licked his lips, feeling the bones of his neck snapping into their right places again, "the demon will take control".

Kakuzu instantly got what his partner was trying to say. "We could try to invert the seal, then," he murmured. "With the Kyuubi partly in control of the host body, we could have virtually no problem in making a soul–extracting jutsu".

White eyes narrowed. "Would that work?"

"It might prove to be worth a chance, Leader–sama," Kakuzu stated.

Hidden away within the darkness of the room, where his presence couldn't be noticed by either of the two crouching shinobi, a fourth person was quietly listening to what the others were saying.

His face was hidden away within a weirdly–shaped mask, with only one single opening for an eye –a dark, haunting eye– but the compressed aura was heavy and dark –not unlike that of death.

'_The last chance, is it,'_ he thought, eye narrowed in contemplation._ 'That man has been tampering with my work for far too long, despite having died thirteen years ago…'_

Unseen by Kakuzu and Hidan, the man stretched and nodded to himself. He was by far better than Leader at controlling his emotions, even though his mask helped hiding them from others.

As he passed close to where the duo was still crouching, invisible to their senses and unnoticed, his eyes flickered to the Leader's face.

Leader was smirking, more like a grimace that lifted his lips upwards. It looked cold, evil and absolutely morbid. It shadowed his face completely, a deep contrast with the blinding whiteness of his eyes.

The man with the orange mask found himself smirking to mimic Leader's expression.

'_It is time to make sure everything falls into its right place…'_

…–…–…–…

It was still dark, but this time, the darkness was even more oppressing.

The silence was deafening, and it threatened to swallow the soft hissing voice as it spoke, barely audible, laced with malice and satisfaction that the owner had not bothered to hide.

There were various words the man could use, and he used all of them to the best of his abilities; harsh, pleasant, almost as if commenting on the weather instead of a supposed death.

Every aspect was stretched and every supposition was enriched with details, in order to make it more hurtful, in order to make it cutting like a double edged knife.

With every word he spoke, the person standing in front of him felt a small piece of his blackened soul crumble and shatter.

The moment the man finished speaking, black eyes bled into crimson swirling pools of blood, chakra unrestrained and lashing out in anger, fear, betrayal and pain.

In a corner of the room, a pair of glasses glinted with a stray flicker of light coming from one of the torches; slowly, a hand rose into the air and a middle finger gently pushed the glasses back up, at the same time conveniently covering an amused smirk.

The news had been reported.

There was only silence afterwards, only broken by the loud, metallic sound of a kunai clanging on the stony floor. Sasuke did not know what to say.

Without warning, the youngest of the Uchiha disappeared from the room, the sound of his footsteps vanishing in the distance, echo of the hollow darkness that was eating away his heart at the news that his best friend, the only person who had cared, was now gone forever.

The two remaining shapes stared at one another, and both smirked.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** so that was another chapter. Did you like it? Does it deserve a review? :D

Note –Itachi is bound to get OOC. Not overly so, but you might understand that with this sort of plot, it's needed for him to start changing slightly. Itachi and sex don't really get along well together (even though Itachi _is_ sexy, I don't see him fucking random people), and similarly, Itachi and love are even harder to see in the same sentence. Considering this fic was written before the latest news about Itachi, though, maybe it's not _that_ OOC.

_Haori_ – Japanese–styled shirt.

_Hakama _– Japanese–styled pants.


	15. Realizing

**Edited:** 08/05/2011

**StarsOfYaoi****:** sigh. I hate exams. Please, enjoy this chapter, and review if you care.

Also, since many were getting impatient about it, there is ShinoKiba in there.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 15: Realizing**

_The weird feeling persisted._

_Itachi could easily admit that he'd never liked to kill. It had nothing to do with the regret of taking a life –he'd never felt anything when he cut a person's life, he didn't feel bad or mournful._

_If anything, the fact that he was forced to do it for his family was what caused him to feel something –the same hatred he'd grown accustomed to._

_Mission after mission, for his village and for his family, Itachi had continued killing, but the hatred sustained him enough, and he revelled in the feeling._

_No, he disliked killing because of the blood._

_The liquid covered his hands, dripping on his nails, staining his clothes, hard to wash away, harder to hide…_

_It disgusted him._

_He would never kill in a__n unsightly way, because there was no satisfaction in watching a person die without that same crimson blood, its life energy, drip slowly from the corpse in the moment of death._

_It attracted him and at the same time, it repulsed him._

_Blood was life, yet the sight of such vile thing covering his own body made him disgusted._

_It was not supposed to leave its natural flow inside the body, at least unless life abandoned it at the same time… blood corrupted the person touching it with death, a perfection tainted and ruined, disrupting the natural balance of the body._

_Death itself was nothing short of disgusting… where the integrity of the body was ruined and destroyed, but, at the same time, in its imperfection, satisfying._

_Life was fragile. Easy to end, not hard to forget, not important but at the same time, something vital and precious, sheltered with a thin layer of skin, carefully contained, coveted and protected._

_As in opposition, perfection and imperfection, life and death, __natural cycle of life that creatures could so easily disrupt by killing._

_Sharingan eyes stared down at the blood on his hands, the crimson of the liquid clashing against the pale complexion of his skin; usually the sight repulsed him, __it made him become aware of how shallow the belief of living was, but that particular blood…_

_It was different. It meant much more than that, there was no disgust anymore._

_It felt different. It looked the same, but it wasn't._

_If he could go as far as to name the feeling it evoked… it would be __**satisfaction**__._

_The red liquid on his hands had an enticing shade –the way it dripped down his wrist and then on his arm, absorbed by his ANBU outfit, staining his skin, then falling on the floor with a grace Itachi had never seen before…_

_Never before had such a sickening and filthy sight brought him such feelings of fulfilment; that was what he felt… he felt complete. The blood belonged upon him._

_This blood, at least._

_His eyes felt numb. For a moment, his sight doubled, blurred over. For that same moment, Itachi detachedly wondered if he was crying._

_At first there was a prickling behind them, as if they were burning from the inside, and the feeling increased. It was painful. It was sudden. It burnt, as if someone was dripping acid over his face –stinging, burning, hurting him…_

_Something was changing. He could feel it; there was a sensation clawing its way to the surface, bubbling and burning, and his skull hurt so much that Itachi let out a soft hiss, unable to close his eyes–_

_There was pain. It was unlike any pain he'd ever felt, but together with it, there was the knowledge that his perfection had slithered up another notch… his lungs constricted in both satisfaction and disappointment._

_His sight still blurred, Itachi looked up, and his eyes met the ones of the dying person in front of him, the same person who had helped him achieve this step. Deep black orbs were staring intently at him, glossy and unmoving, almost on the brink of death._

_What those lidded eyes hid was lost to him, as under the veil of death, he was finally facing something he'd wished to see –it was supposed to be important, but he didn't know why._

_Itachi had no desire to know, and much to his displeasure, it was really not that important to him._

_Uchiha Shisui's __eyes flickered slightly, and Itachi, in a daze, twitched his fingers, concentrating on the movement, feeling the muscles and the tendons and the blood all wrapped around his hand._

_Blood everywhere. Blood of the Uchiha, pouring out from his chest, from his body…_

_The person that had been different from the rest of the clan, the only person that had known Itachi and had seen the truth beneath cold, unfeeling eyes, was there, and he was dying._

_His face was paler, as white as sheet, a trail of crimson blood dripping down his chin as bubbles tinged red by the blood flourished from his bluish lips._

_Soft, pathetic choking sounds were slowly getting weaker and weaker._

_Itachi had chose the spot carefully, hitting close to his heart. So close, in fact, that if he were to shift his fingers to the right, he would touch the trembling organ that was still beating softly…_

_But it hadn't been close enough to kill him instantly._

_As an ANBU, he had learned earlier on where to hit if he wanted to cause instant death, and where to touch if he wanted to drag it out, delivering a deathly blow that would cause massive pain before life left the body._

_There was a reason he had not killed Shisui on the spot. He hadn't wanted to torture his cousin, after all, but he needed this. For the both of them._

_The blow had penetrated through Shisui's lung, though, and the other shinobi was having a hard time breathing, but it didn't matter –soon enough, it wouldn't matter anymore._

"_Can you see it, Shisui?"_

_Much to his surprise, his voice faltered when he spoke. The pain behind his eyes was strong, but there was a similar one somewhere in his chest that made it hard to concentrate on his words._

_And yet, he needed to know –he needed the confirmation._

_From the same person that had helped him, the same person that had grown to be a stable presence in his life, teaching him and offering him a constant…_

_He needed to know that what he'd done was worth the death of this person, who had willingly given his own life in order to show something to Itachi –the same something that Itachi did not know if he felt or not._

"_You asked to see if I had limits," he continued, his voice growing steadier the more he spoke. Shisui's eyes were quickly losing their light. "You asked to see how high I could reach… and now you can. In the moment of your death, as I sacrificed my last bond, can you see it?"_

_Shisui coughed, spitting blood all over Itachi's face. He remained stoic, uncaring._

"… _I can__…" the dying teen tried to smile, but what came out was a hollow grin that meant nothing. And yet meant everything. "I can… see… your perfection…" he coughed more, fighting against the growing darkness closing in on his consciousness. "And your limit…"_

_Itachi's eyes were swirling, twisting and spinning, black merging with red, as the Sharingan spun wildly, forming something else –something deadlier, corrupted, vile–_

_But Shisui wasn't talking about the change. The man had seen something else, and it was that sight that allowed him to finally let go._

_And as Shisui exhaled his last__, shuddery breath, in the moment he slipped into a comforting but cold darkness, Itachi's eyes stilled. Showing now the new perfection, the weapon above any other… the Mangekyou Sharingan._

_Shisui's dead corpse fell on the ground, staining it with the blood now flowing freely from the wound on his chest, and Itachi stared at his crimson coated hand in fascination._

_He stared at his hand, forgetting about the body cooling at his feet, not even noticing the small smile still on the older teen's lips, even in death._

_His eyes could not leave his bloody hand, mesmerized by the sight, eyes wide as tears slowly rolled down his cheeks, unnoticed and uncared for._

_Before, the sight of the blood would have been disgusting. Revolting._

_He'd killed many, and the feeling had never changed, deeply rooted within him._

_But this blood… this was not just blood. This was an Uchiha's blood._

_His face remained expressionless, unreadable. His eyes were dry._

_Uchiha's blood._

_Suddenly, he realised something as the hatred inside him, fuelled by the strong satisfaction he felt, grew until it was bubbling on the surface, twisting his emotionless face into a pained grimace._

_Uchiha's blood on his hands…__ it was not disgusting at all._

…–…–…–…

_Itachi stared in silence at his father._

_Things had changed._

_This man… this man was no father. There was nothing in the word 'family' that Itachi could ever consider worth it, if not for his small brother who had taught him the name of his only emotion._

_As a small child, Sasuke had taught him the meaning of hatred._

_His father had a strange look as he stared at his first son, a stare that held contempt, worry, hatred, and sadness. But there was more to that. Satisfaction… and fear._

"_It was you," his voice was sad but firm. He didn't question his son –he simply stated a fact._

_Itachi did not reply._

"_Now you have __**it**__," he murmured again._

_And again, Itachi did not speak._

_Fugaku could show so much on his face, no matter how much he tried to hide it –there was pride, and there was fear, and so many more emotions, and Itachi read them all._

"_My son has achieved such a powerful weapon… I am proud of you, Itachi. His death was a justified sacrifice to permit your ascent to further perfection"._

_Itachi simply looked at him, eyes void of emotion, and so was his voice when he spoke up._

"_I am perfect already," he said quietly._

_Fugaku bit his lip._

_His son confused him, at times. He was the perfect weapon, but exactly because of this, he was dangerous –not expendable, but not wanted either. Coveted, feared, envied, lusted over… but he had the feeling of a wild beast resting before lashing out._

_It scared him, but he would never admit that to a child. A weapon, but still younger than him. his weapon. His._

"_Why did you drown him? Why the letter?"_

_Itachi's reaction was… none. He didn't react to him speaking so bluntly about Shisui's death._

_It was surprising, at times, that the older teen had been his friend at all, if that was Itachi's attitude related to the death of his so–called best friend._

"_I did not drown him, I did not write the letter," he said._

_And he was not lying__._

_There was difference between covering up truth and saying a lie, and Itachi had not lied –the truth was, somewhat, more important than being honest to his father, but up to this point, there was no reason to lie, either._

_Shisui had been the one to write the letter. It had surprised Itachi to an extent, because it showed how long the older teen had expected his death –even going as far as to wait for it._

_He had written down what he'd wished for, but Itachi could not understand if in the end, his words had been false or honest. Shisui had always been like that, and Itachi could not say he grasped that feeling._

_Still, there had been an underlined, hidden meaning to his last words, just as there had always been something more to everything Shisui had ever done._

_Compared to all the red leaves around, Shisui had been a brown one, but to an entirely different level. Hiding himself among lies and truths, observing with keen eyes, always looking, always weaving his intricate set of lies…_

_Shisui had known something Itachi had not, and he had wanted to be part of the 'revenge' Itachi was going to get. An important part. And maybe…_

_Maybe Shisui had approved. There was only one possible explanation for his preparations, for his attempts at getting close to Itachi, as if he'd known all along, as if…_

_After cleaning up the body of his once friend, carefully cleansing all the blood, even going as far as to close the gaping wound in his chest, meticulous, Itachi had thrown the corpse into the Nakano river._

_For a long while, he had just looked at it, feeling a strange desire to pull the body out and shake it until Shisui woke, but had just pushed the ridiculous thought away, leaving without turning back._

_Shisui was dead, and that was all there was to it._

_Now, there was only one thing standing between himself and freedom –painful, overwhelming freedom– and as he looked right up at the man he called father, Itachi pushed the weird feeling away and activated his eyes._

_They spun, Sharingan melting into its most lethal form, and Itachi could feel the pulse of power within his chest._

_Everything was rushing towards its end._

…–…–…

Temari, unable to move towards the Kazekage's office, grunted and stared at the wall, feeling helpless.

A part of her wanted to run away and not turn back, but she knew that she couldn't –_wouldn't_–do that; it was her duty, as Gaara's second in command, to bring any message coming from other villages to him.

Yet, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Not with _this_ message.

How was she supposed to do it? Look into her little brother's eyes, and then repeat what the ninja coming from Konoha had reported her minutes before? How could she look at him and tell him that the person who had changed him, changed his view on people, the person who had defeated him for the very first time, and helped the Council convince him to become Kazekage… was dead?

The only person Gaara had known to be like he was.

Temari's shoulders slumped in defeat. She felt useless and weary.

She had always loved her little brother, despite the fear he'd caused in her and in Kankurou, because no matter what, they were still family –what was left of it, at least.

They had waited, hoping that something would change, hoping that within Gaara there could still be something to save, and her wishes had been granted.

Gaara had changed so much, understanding what it meant to love a village no matter what, his heart had finally opened up to her, to Kankurou, allowing them to show their love to him, and have his love back…

And now, she had to confront him and tell him that the person responsible for his happiness was gone forever.

She simply _couldn't_.

Back pressed against the cool wall, Temari closed her eyes, pondering the various options she had. The message was clear, no possible misunderstanding.

A Konohagakure embassy had arrived. Much to Temari's shock, it had been the green–clothed shinobi who had fought against Gaara during the Chuunin exams. It'd be hard to forget such a person, after all, not with his attitude or his eyebrows.

The guy had stated he was a Chuunin, and he'd been the only one willing to come over to Suna to give the message to the Kazekage, not to mention he was the fastest in the village.

He'd given her his name, too –Lee– but she was too busy thinking about his eyebrows then.

Lee had then told her, calmly and clearly, that Naruto was dead. His eyes had been shimmering with tears, and his sadness had been so deep and raw that she'd felt a wave of pain curse through her body as well.

Tsunade, Konoha's Hokage, had known of the friendship existing between the two Jinchuuriki, and had thus felt responsible, deciding to tell the Sand–nin about Naruto's fate right away.

It hard hurt. Temari had a nice memory of the blond teen –he was loud, but somehow his bright attitude, instead of bothering her, had made her smile, if only just a bit.

Temari felt her stomach clench painfully.

What was going to happen now?

What would Gaara do once told of Naruto's death?

Would that break him, making him regress to how he'd been before meeting the blond teen? What would happen to Suna then, with all their efforts to stand up proudly?

"Oi, Temari anee–san".

Eyes fluttering open, she looked to the side, and noticed that her brother had approached without her feeling him. He was standing there, concerned, looking at her with a frown. For once, she noted, he was not wearing his kabuki paint. It made him look younger.

"Is there… is there something wrong? I saw a Konoha–nin in the meeting room, and you looked agitated when you left".

His tone was demanding, but his eyes were softer, concerned. He'd always been the pessimist of the family, and she could see a million thoughts, each one worse than the other, flash through his eyes.

In fact, she was right –Kankurou was thinking about war, of all things. He'd never liked to go half–way into things, and even his pessimism was like that.

Still, it wasn't possible, not if they were sending just one person over… but still, one could never be sure about that.

"Yes… I am… fine…" she trailed off. She wasn't a good liar. Pushing herself off the wall, licking her lips, she straightened and took a deep breath.

She had to be mature and protect her little brothers, even if that meant give them horrible news and be there for the aftermath.

Temari had to be ready and accept whatever was going to come of the situation.

Gaara was going to need them, after all.

"I received some pretty bad news, and I am supposed to relay them to Gaara," she finally stated, not looking at her little brother.

Kankurou's face turned even more worried.

"Is there…"

"No, no wars, no fights, no problems," she glared at him half heartedly, pissed off by his usual pessimism. "It's about… Naruto".

Her brother cocked his head in confusion; that name was always spoken with gratitude by the two of them, knowing how helpful the blond had been, not just once, but twice.

Now Temari's tone was filled with dread and pain. His stomach constricted.

"What's wrong, sis?" he dropped the formality, leaning forwards.

"Naruto was taken away by an organization that is trying to take all of the demon containers," she explained, closing her eyes again. "His demon… Kyuubi… was supposedly extracted, and the vessel… Naruto… died".

Kankurou blinked twice, then his face turned pale.

He knew what the consequences of telling Gaara that would be, and he didn't want his sister to be the one breaking the news to the Kazekage.

Unbidden, unwanted, fear started spreading through his body.

"Are you…" he pointed towards the office, and Temari simply nodded.

"No, _I_ will be the one telling him," a voice spoke from behind Kankurou.

Both siblings turned and saw the green–clothed Konoha–nin standing there, eyes filled with sadness and determination. He would have looked funny in another situation, with his giant eyebrows, the serious expression and his green spandex, but…

But there was something in his eyes –something painful and tortured. It made any kind of mirth Kankurou and Temari could have felt vanish as if it had never been there.

This guy had obviously been Naruto's friend, and he knew the pain his death would cause to Gaara much better than Temari and her brother would ever.

Even so, Temari was not willingly to let someone else tell Gaara this, because she felt it as her responsibility.

It was her little brother, after all, and as sister of the Kazekage, that was her duty.

Lee closed his fists tightly, looking at the floor for a moment. "Naruto was one of my close friends, and I am the only one who can explain everything to Gaara–sama… please, Temari–san, Kankurou–san, let _me_ be the one to tell Kazekage–sama about this".

Temari was about to reply, but Kankurou stopped her by grabbing her arm, and slowly shook his head.

She looked at him, momentarily lost, but there was something in her little brother's eyes that made her finally relent, so she nodded.

Finally her legs allowed her to move to the door of the office, and she gently knocked.

She was a coward, she knew it, but… she was glad Lee had offered to do it instead.

She just hoped everything would be ok.

…–…–…–…

"Oi, brat".

Kiba blinked and looked up, startled at the sudden sound; he'd found it hard to concentrate on things lately, letting his thoughts scatter as he could not keep a grasp on them, and thus it was also hard to focus on people around him.

The last few weeks had been weird, too –he'd been quiet and thoughtful, unlike his usual loud attitude. Still, nobody could say they were surprised.

It had taken Kiba a bit to realise that he missed Naruto.

Yes, he'd been sad at his death –hell, he'd been shocked and enraged and hurt and depressed– but he hadn't counted on being so _down_ about it.

Kiba and Naruto had never really been great friends, mostly because Kiba loved to tease Naruto, coaxing him into verbal and physical fights, almost as if in need to challenge the other teen at some primal level.

During the first few years of academy, his taunts had been meant to hurt, but then, without Kiba realising it, things had changed –they had shared many escapades, even suffering under Iruka's wrath during school time…

He could not recall a moment of his life when he had not been picking up fights with the blond. He'd just been there ever since Kiba could remember… they were just that type of friends, it seemed –the ones who need to challenge each other constantly.

Even after knowing his secret, Kiba hadn't changed his opinion of the other teen; instead, his respect for him had increased, inspiring him to train even harder to become just as strong.

During the years Naruto had been away, Kiba hadn't had the time to really miss the blond, mostly because despite not being around in the village, Kiba had _known_ Naruto would return; it was obvious. He had trained, hoping that once his ex-classmate was back, they could spar together.

He'd never had the chance to.

Naruto was dead.

Kiba had been satisfied of his current level of skills. Whenever Sakura came around to talk with Hinata, she would talk about how Naruto was doing –Tsunade always had news about him ready– and that left the Inuzuka excited and brimming with energy.

He'd been pumped up about showing Naruto his new jutsu and skills.

And now, he would never be able to.

Kiba had to admit it –he missed Naruto.

He knew he was probably just delusional, but since the funeral, he'd felt like the village had fallen into some sort of silent limbo. Things were weird.

Maybe it was just the fact that he expected a noise that wasn't there –Naruto's voice as he ran around the streets– but the silence was eerie. As if the village itself was missing the blond, and it showed it with the silence.

Kiba missed knowing that he might see that stupid blond bounce around. He missed wondering if he'd see one of his pranks around. He missed the chaos that Naruto could pull off and make it seem like he'd done absolutely nothing.

He was angry.

Terribly angry at Naruto and at himself.

He knew he was being irrational –Naruto was his friend, but this wasn't the first time someone in the village had lost a loved one. Naruto wasn't even that important for him, right? He was just a friend. Many shinobi had suffered from a loss, and they learned how to cope with it.

Naruto's friends, the Hokage, Iruka–sensei… why were they still mourning so much?

Kiba was afraid of the answer –he was afraid to admit to himself just how much of an influence Naruto had been for all of them.

He didn't want to think that Konoha had lost its own small, bright sun the day Naruto had died.

It was stupid. So utterly stupid and embarrassing, and it was something Kiba would never ever admit of thinking, and yet…

Everything pointed to that. Konoha had lost something important without even realising it…

"Oi, idiot, I called you twice already".

Shaking himself and focusing on his surroundings, Kiba realised his sister had been standing there for a while, looking at him and trying to attract his attention; feeling sheepish, he stood up and stretched.

"Sorry, sis," he smiled a bit, scratching his head.

"Kiba, Shino–kun is here," she stated, her fang glinting when she smirked.

He nodded, feeling vaguely cheered up at the mention of his teammate; Shino might have been silent and stiff all the time, but he was a great teammate and an even better friend, always offering a shoulder for whenever Kiba felt like ranting or venting out.

He was the only person Kiba felt really comfortable with aside from his family, lately.

Leaving the backdoor garden of his house, he noticed Shino standing in front of the entrance, as stiff and quiet as usual, and felt a smile tug at his lips.

"Oi, Shino," he called out, feeling the buzzing of Shino's Kikai bugs when the taller teen turned around to look at him.

He knew that there was a small smile on the other teen's lips, and the knowledge made his own smile widen.

Shino and Kiba had been together for a while now; it was a bit tentative, considering Shino's inability to show emotions and Kiba's loud, obnoxious attitude, but they were doing fine.

The Aburame clan at first had not taken well the news that the only son of the clan head had a preference for males, but as they could do nothing about it, in the end they had relented, accepting that their only heir was swinging for the same team.

On the other hand, the Inuzuka family had been really supportive once they had been told that Kiba and Shino were dating, and had gone out of their way to insure they were left alone and happy.

Even though Kiba didn't express it to his family, he was happy they had been so accepting of his choice, since he was the only male heir –thankfully his pack didn't really need him, since they had Hana already.

Shino nodded at him in greeting, one hand lifted up to welcome the bugs he usually left on Kiba for protection.

Much to Kiba's surprise, there were a few more than there had been the previous day –a clear sign that Shino was growing worried about Kiba's bad mood.

Smiling at him, he motioned for his lover to follow. He needed to express his worried with him, and that way Shino would stop being so anxious.

As they walked down the street towards Ichiraku Ramen, where their friends were waiting, Kiba finally decided to start explaining.

"I understand," he muttered, glancing down at his hands, "that people die every day, and they leave behind someone to mourn for them. I know that. I know we should move on… I mean, I wasn't even close to him… and yet… it feels so _wrong_".

So he spilled everything out in a wave of words, not stopping to breathe, simply ranting about everything he felt and how angered he was.

There was a movement on Shino's shoulder, and a few bugs flew over to Kiba. Their buzzing soothed him somehow.

Truth was, Shino had been waiting for Kiba to share his thoughts for a long while; his silence wasn't just upsetting, but it felt like a prelude to something… of course that didn't mean Shino had tried to force his lover to speak in any way.

That wasn't how it worked for them –Kiba would talk when he felt ready to. Like now.

The fact was, Kiba's words were not unexpected –all of Naruto's friends felt the same, it seemed.

Shino hadn't been close to the blond either, he could admit that without a problem; he usually liked to disappear in the corners, while Naruto had always wanted to attract attention on himself.

And still, it seemed like there was a memory of Naruto that even he could covet, because Shino himself missed the loudmouth… and he could only imagine how people who had been closer to the blond would feel now.

"It's ok," he replied, voice even. "Nobody expects you to stop missing him. Still, you cannot let this depression continue, either".

Kiba blinked and stared at the taller teen with a frown; he knew that, he wasn't doing it on purpose either!

Shino looked intently back at him, then on a whim he slipped his sunglasses off, squinting a bit in the light as his brown eyes were not used to be without them.

Surprised at this act, Kiba understood what the other was trying to say without the need for any more words; they wouldn't be good teammates or lovers if they didn't know how to understand each other with small gestures.

Shino understood his pain, but they were both shinobi, and they both were aware that Naruto wouldn't have liked to see them this depressed over him. He'd want them to fight and live on and remember, not mourn.

Of course, it was easier said than done, but Kiba felt much better anyway, even if Shino had barely spoke after his rant.

Grabbing the taller teen by his arm, Kiba pulled him down and licked his cheek, gritting toothily at the soft blush staining Shino's cheeks.

"Thanks," he stated, meaning it.

Shino put on his sunglasses again then leaned down a bit, his blush growing darker as he pressed a kiss onto Kiba's lips, shaking his head slightly when Kiba licked them, smirking still.

"Let's go, Kiba," Shino murmured.

They were not of age to drink sake in memory of Naruto yet, so they'd stick with the next best thing… they'd have ramen and talk about the blond… and move on.

To anyone else it might have seemed stupid, childish and unacceptable, a disrespectful act towards the dead, but to those who had known the blond, this wasn't so strange, nor wrong.

Naruto would have appreciated it, they were sure of it.

…–…–…–…

The air in the office was suffocating.

Under the intense gaze of the teen that had been appointed as Kazekage, Lee felt like his breath had been stolen away. This was the same person he'd fought years before, and it was almost incredible to see him now.

Gaara was different. He had changed for the better, and was now the protector of his village. Lee was awed by how many things could change in so little time.

That was the right way to show a will of fire, he was sure of it.

But of course this wasn't the time to linger in such thoughts. Reminding himself that he'd have to tell the Kazekage the news, Lee's mood dropped again.

Tsunade didn't have anyone willing to go to Suna to tell Gaara the news, but she hadn't wanted to send a message with a bird, because of the friendship that linked Gaara and Naruto, and Lee had been the only one eager to leave.

He'd taken it upon himself, and had stated the news to Gaara as bluntly as possible.

"Kazekage–sama?" he called out, licking his lips.

The leader of Suna didn't answer, still staring at him intently, and Lee found himself wanting to back down under that intense gaze. Lee knew that the teen would not harm him –he could feel it in the air despite the heavy mood– but that didn't mean he wasn't intimidated.

He had carefully explained to Gaara about Akatsuki, everything the Hokage had seemed fit for him to know, and then he had told the other teen about Naruto's capture and his death.

After that, everything had turned dangerously silent, the air heavy and oppressive.

"Where is his body?" Gaara's voice was low and collected, but Lee could feel tension underneath the calm exterior –something that was clawing its way to the surface.

Lee blinked; he had not expected the question at all.

"Kazekage–sama?" he repeated, biting his lower lip in confusion.

"Gaara," the other teen replied almost unconsciously, his eyes turning sharply towards Lee, flashing dangerously once more. "Don't call me Kazekage–sama."

A moment of silence, then Lee tried again.

"Gaara–sama…"

Gaara's eyes turned into slits, "Where. Is. The. Body."

Lee gulped, seeing the sand shift at the other teen's feet. Why would Gaara ask about Naruto's body?

"The rescue team didn't take Naruto's body back," Lee replied, cowering slightly; despite knowing that Gaara had changed over the years, he still had a far too vivid memory of what the younger teen's sand could do. Gaara had destroyed his body almost to the point of no return, and only Tsunade–sama had been skilled enough to restore his body up to full health, allowing him to continue on his ninja career and reach the position of Chuunin. "The report said Akatsuki took his body with them".

Gaara blinked slowly, but remained silent, his sand curling around his feet almost protectively. "Then Naruto is not dead," he finally commented, frowning slightly.

The sand shifted away, disappearing in the gourd that was against the wall next to the door; Lee stood there speechless, staring at him with a shocked expression.

"What…"

Gaara glared at him and sat down, closing his eyes briefly.

At first, he had been stunned to hear of Naruto's death; his chest had heaved painfully, and Gaara had felt like his lungs had constricted so much he could not breathe.

Naruto… dead.

The image of Naruto on the ground, not breathing anymore, was too much for him. His head hurt, his chest hurt, and the pain was so vast it hurt.

It was wrong. Impossible. Naruto dead, Naruto gone forever… no, he could not picture it. It was _so_ _wrong_…

Not him. _Not_ Naruto.

The blond would never allow someone kill him, no matter how strong his opponent could be, it was simply _wrong_. Someone as strong and determined as Naruto would never burst into flames like that. He'd been so sure of himself when he had assured Gaara that he would never die before his goal had been attained…

Naruto's blue eyes were sparkling in Gaara's mind, burning with life and happiness. There was no way he could accept the news. Nobody was immortal, Gaara knew that better than most, and Naruto could die, too… but he could not accept that Naruto was dead.

Not like this, not now, not…

"Naruto is not dead," he repeated in a louder tone. "There is no evidence if there is no body. Naruto would never die before becoming Hokage."

He knew it, he was _sure_ of it. There was something inside him whispering that Naruto was not dead, that this was just too suspicious, too wrong.

Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but Gaara grasped at this small seed of hope and held onto it with all of his strength.

Lee sighed; he really wanted to believe in Gaara's words, but for how strong Naruto's flame of youth had been, he too had to bow to the Akatsuki's power. He had not been strong enough, and now he was dead; he could understand that Gaara had cared for Naruto, since everywhere the blond went, he ended up making new friends.

He'd helped Lee, Gaara, Neji, the Hokage herself, and surely many, many others… but now he was dead. Everyone had already accepted that, for how painful it could be…

"Gaara," Lee forgot for a second to call the other by the right suffix, and stepped towards him with a serious face. "I know it's hard, but you have to accept it. Naruto is dead".

The redhead simply shook his head. It was not a matter of belief, even if he _believed_ Naruto was still alive. No.

It was a matter of proof. _'Besides,'_ added the rational part of him, _'Akatsuki needs Shukaku as well. If Kyuubi was taken four weeks ago, why haven't they appeared to take my demon as well?'_

The fact that he was sure Naruto was still alive helped him see things more clearly; the missing body was suspicious, Akatsuki would have no need for Naruto's corpse, so why had they taken it away?

"They had no need to take the body away," he commented coldly, wanting Lee's attention. "And not one of them has appeared to try and take Shukaku away. If my demon was the last one, they would have come to collect it".

Lee frowned. That was true as well. But he shook his head; he was not convinced.

"I don't care what Konoha thinks," Gaara stood up again, his green eyes flaring even if his expression was still blank. "Naruto is still alive. I know it".

Lee sighed, fidgeting under the gaze of the Kazekage, and turned to leave. If the redhead wanted to be in denial, there was nothing he could do.

Gaara hesitated for a second, before his sand moved to stop Lee from leaving the room; the Taijutsu fighter stopped, shifting uncomfortably as he felt the sand touch his skin.

Yes, the memory of their fight was still engraved in his mind, and not in a good way.

Gaara, too, remembered it, but many things had changed since then. Mainly his view on things. That was why he felt the need to apologize for what he'd done back then. He'd been wrong about many things, and if there was one thing Naruto had taught him, it was to confront his inner demons and fears.

He wasn't alone.

He had almost taken away from this person the only thing he owned, and had felt no guilt in doing so, but now things were different. He felt guilty about that.

Lee had helped him as well, together with Naruto, in seeing what was wrong with him. and now that they were standing face to face, he could finally fix things.

"I want to apologize for our battle," Gaara said, looking away, not used to ask for forgiveness.

Lee blinked, then as his brain processed what the redhead had said he smiled brightly at him, feeling some of his old self return for the first time in weeks.

"There is nothing you should be sorry for!" he exclaimed happily, flashing the Kazekage one of his blinding smiles. "I am glad you are fairing well. You are respected, just like you deserve, and your flame now burns strongly thanks to Naruto!"

Gaara blinked –he had quite forgot just how _strange_ this guy was.

But as he stared at Lee, who was now doing some strange poses while smiling, assuring him he'd long since forgiven him, Gaara felt a strange sort of feeling inside him.

Maybe apologizing was not that bad, after all.

…–…–…–…

Naruto fidgeted, hissing as a painful twinge made itself known from his lower back up to his shoulders.

He had lost count of how much time had passed since Akatsuki had captured him, sealing his chakra and forcing him to live in the undergrounds of their hideout.

At times, he felt as if he'd been there for months, other times he settled for no more than four weeks, though he wasn't completely sure about it. It was hard to distinguish the passing of a day when you were kept where the sun didn't reach.

He had decided to stick with a month, as he hoped he was still somewhat able to tell the time.

So for a month, he had lived in the dark undergrounds of Akatsuki, managing to learn his way through every passageway, even though there was no way he could find a way out of it.

His only visitor during that time had been Itachi.

After the guy called Deidara had visited him, he had not seen anyone else except the silent Uchiha. Not that he had been sad about it –the Akatsuki was kind of freaky, after all– but having just Itachi to talk with wasn't exactly sane either.

Though he hadn't minded it at the same time…

The Leader of the organization had never returned to see him again, and for that Naruto was immensely glad, because he wasn't sure he could have managed out with the aura the man gave off…

The guy was seriously scary.

Not to mention the white, unseeing eyes –and yet, he could see through them… weird– that were definitely unsettling. Naruto hoped the man would never return to see him, but knew better than to truly believe that.

The man would eventually come back, and he dreaded the moment he would see him again.

What left him baffled though was that they had stopped experimenting on his seal, a thing that both relieved and scared him –he couldn't shake off the suspicion that they were preparing something awful that he would not be able to evade.

Despite his initial uncertainty, Naruto had quickly ended up falling into a pattern –the silence was almost haunting, and Itachi's visits, albeit offering a short respite to his loneliness, were just not enough.

After all, Itachi barely spoke, and Naruto didn't know what to say, either.

They simply stared at each other, and then Itachi would initiate something, and Naruto would eventually give in, but no real words were spoken between them.

Itachi never did say a word unless strictly necessary, and Naruto had grown to hate the silence even more.

Unfortunately, since the Uchiha was his only visitor, Naruto ended up waiting for his appearance with some sort of impatience, anticipating the moments he'd spend with the older shinobi and despising himself for wanting him to stay around some more.

Something that had surprised Naruto was how Itachi didn't initiate sex every time he arrived; Naruto wasn't unhappy about spending his time having sex with him, of course –he would deal with it _when_ he managed to escape– but his body couldn't take doing such activities every day, and Itachi seemed to understand that.

The Uchiha would pop around at least twice a day, once to bring him food, regularly around the time Naruto had dubbed midday, and once at a random hour. Then, he would settle down and observe him.

Just that. He would sit in a corner, calm and silent, and he would just stare at him, almost as if waiting for something to happen.

Every time he left, Naruto was puzzled and confused, unable to understand what the other could find so interesting in him.

A never ending routine was established, and day after day it never changed; when he was left to his own devices, Naruto would simply wander around, and when Itachi was there, he would try (unsuccessfully) to strike up a conversation.

'_I wish there was someone else for me to talk to,'_ Naruto sighed, stretching his back. The repetitiveness of the situation was starting to grant to his nerves.

What bugged him the most, though, was that he had slowly become aware that Itachi didn't come only during the 'day'; from time to time –or maybe many times during a single night– something would wake Naruto up, and in the room, hidden away in the dark, he would then feel Itachi's presence.

He had never tried to speak him then, too afraid by the weird situation to even try, and soon enough, even that presence had turned to be rather familiar and normal, given the situation.

Of course, Naruto had tried to adapt, but being kept in a place for this long was stretching the little patience he had to its limits.

At first, he had decided to observe Itachi, just like Itachi observed him. The man hadn't seemed bothered by it –there again, there seemed to be nothing that could bother him– and Naruto was determined to get the best out of this situation.

Besides, Itachi didn't want to speak, and Naruto needed to concentrate on something else in order not to go crazy with the silence and the solitude…

So, Naruto did what he thought was best –he observed Itachi.

After all, if Itachi refused to talk with him, Naruto would have to learn another kind of language –that of actions.

Blue eyes stared intensely at the older shinobi from the moment he stepped into the room to the moment he left, meeting crimson eyes without fear. At times, Itachi deactivated his Sharingan, at times he kept it active, but Naruto never showed signs of fear.

After all, the situation could not get worse, and Itachi hadn't hurt him until then, so he wouldn't do it now, either.

It was another kind of routine, but it was something that kept Naruto rooted and concentrated.

It was slow, but Naruto learned to recognise all sort of small things from the way Itachi moved, to the way his eyes glinted in different ways by the things Naruto said.

It was amusing, and it allowed time to pass.

And with that, he could also feel his body regaining strength. Slowly but surely, his body was healing.

…–…–…–…

Lee stopped running the moment he reached his teammates, who had been waiting for him outside of the Kazekage tower, sitting on a bench.

Even though Team Gai had been sent to Kaze no Kuni to speak with Gaara, only Lee had been appointed to enter the building, while his two teammates remained outside of it, waiting for him to return.

They had at first tried to dissuade him to go alone, but Lee had been adamant, and Neji hadn't wanted to insist too much, not on this subject.

So, the younger green beast of Konoha had gone inside alone.

Now that their mission was completed, they could finally return to Konoha.

TenTen smiled at both her friends, stretching her back. "Are you ready?"

Lee nodded eagerly, and Neji sighed before standing up, both males moving towards the main entrance of Suna. TenTen bit her upper lip and brushed some sand away from her face before following them at a slower speed.

There was something different in her teammates, as if something had changed with the way they interacted, and TenTen was saddened to see that Neji had reverted back to his reserved, introverted self from his academy days. When she tried to talk to him, he would reassure her that everything was ok, but she knew he was anything but ok.

Neji had seen Naruto's body, after all –of all his friends, Neji had been the one with the proof… it was hard on him, and even Lee, who was able to usually get some sort of reaction out of the Hyuuga prodigy, had failed many times to cheer him up.

Still, TenTen was sure that he would learn to cope and let go. Neji was strong, after all. They all were.

"You don't seem hurt," she commented, trying to crack a small joke as she finally managed to catch up with her teammates. Lee turned to look at her, shrugging. "Does it mean Kazekage–sama took the news… better than you'd anticipated?"

"Well…" Lee scratched his arm, looking sheepish. "He didn't want to believe me. He was obviously hurt by the news, so he continued replying that Naruto was not dead, even when I told him that there was proof of it".

Neji stiffened, his eyes showing a little emotion that quickly vanished back into schooled indifference; he had yet to accept Naruto's death, so Gaara's attitude was something he could understand.

"Kazekage–sama and Naruto were friends, it's obvious he would not believe you," TenTen shrugged, glancing briefly at the way Neji had tensed up.

Lee nodded, a subdued smile on his lips. "Yes, they were. Gaara–sama accepted his position as Kazekage because of Naruto, after all. And… well, Naruto was a Jinchuuriki, just like Gaara–sama…" he frowned, shrugging to himself. "He was adamant about Naruto being still alive, though. He said something about how Akatsuki didn't need to take the body away if they had extracted the demon, and then how they should have been already trying to capture him since he's supposedly the last Jinchuuriki alive…"

To Lee, Gaara's attitude was understandable, but he did not agree. Things were not always this complicate, after all, and Lee was more of a straightforward kind of person, and Gaara's words sounded to him more like denial.

Neji was, by all means, the opposite. He was usually one for strategies and laidback attitude, waiting for enemies to attack first so that he could work on the best way to defeat them.

That was why Gaara's words made more sense to him than they did to Lee.

While Lee continued talking, retelling his personal encounters with Gaara and what he had learned about his fight with Naruto, Neji frowned and allowed his thoughts to scatter, trying to grab an elusive one that confused him.

There was something fishy with the whole situation, yes, but he didn't know what.

'_There was no need to take Naruto's body away… by the reports Tsunade–sama received from Jiraiya–sama, the corpses of the Jinchuuriki were left where they could be found… so why take Naruto's away?'_

Neji had done some research of his own in relation to Jinchuuriki, aided by Shikamaru. The demon and the vessel's lives were tied together after the seal, and the stronger the seal, the stronger the bond.

If the vessel died during a battle, it might take the demon's spirit together with him in death. And if the demon was extracted, the vessel would die.

So, if the extraction had been faulty, Akatsuki would have no need for Naruto's body.

Why had they taken him away, then?

Akatsuki surely couldn't know that the shinobi appointed to get Naruto back would be his friends, or people who cared for him. so they couldn't have orchestrated the whole thing in order to send the Konoha shinobi away, right?

Why show them the body, if only to take it away seconds later?

Neji found himself growing angered at the possibilities opening up in front of him. if Akatsuki had fooled them in such a way, then Gaara might be right in his assumption.

_It made sense._

Something clenched inside Neji's chest as he followed his teammates through Suna, and then, just like that, hope started burning again within him.

It made sense. It wasn't as farfetched as it seemed. There was no possible explanation, after all… and Gaara had yet to be attacked by the Akatsuki, so it was true that maybe they were still concentrating on Naruto…

It was all so simple.

Coming to a halt, Neji felt the world spin around him as another possibility –one he was even afraid to consider– popped up in his mind.

What if…

_What if Naruto __was still alive… in Akatsuki's hands?_

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** Don't worry, next chapter we'll move on, promise.

Review ^^ even if it's only a line telling me you liked the fic, it's still important to me, and happy me means happy readers, too. If you feel like it, please drop me a comment!

**Ending note: **in countries where Shinto and Buddhism are the main religions, blood and other internal fluids are considered highly because they keep the person alive, but if they are to leave the body, then they are seen as impure and disgusting, as is death and the dead corpse. Something that goes against the natural rules of life. To understand this concept, you can try and read the various ancient myths such as Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi and Susanoo's.


	16. Limits

**Edited:** 9/05/2011

**Warnings for another sort of lime present in this chapter. Usual warnings apply, please do not flame.**

**Thanks to all the people who reviewed!**

**StarsOfYaoi****:** … new chapter… and the plot starts to get on a more lively level… so to speak. Enjoy and be nice with me.

Is it ok if I fangirl over Deidara? 'cause I love him, really. It was a pleasure to write this part of chapter simply because of him!

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 16****: Limits**

The wind was blowing harshly against the ground, sending waves of sand flying high, forming whirlpools in the air only to fall down again, lashing out at the two figures that were slowly making their way South.

Everywhere around them there was only sand, more sand and a few rocks, with strong winds blowing all day –typical landscape for the Wind country.

A few stray cacti were standing above the line of sand, and sometimes a shrub or two would be seen, fighting against the sand that was trying to cover them, but nothing else.

One of the figures was crouching down, almost crawling over the sand, whilst the other was stretching at his side, skipping every few steps, a bag hanging on his arm. Both were wearing a black outfit with a pattern of red clouds on it, making it obvious they belonged to the Akatsuki; they also had rice–paper hats with dangling stripes, which protected them from the heat and the sand.

"We're getting close now, un! I can feel the ones Orochimaru conditioned nearby," the tall one said in a sing–song voice. "But are we sure we can trust that jutsu?"

The other man didn't seem interested in what his companion was saying, but replied nonetheless. "I don't know how they will react to us, but we'll just have to wait".

His head shifted on the side, the cloth that was covering half of his face swaying lightly as he stared at the little sack dangling from the other man's arm.

"Are you sure you can get through it with just this little bag?" he inquired suspiciously. "Remember that our opponent uses his powers to control the element around us…"

The tall man laughed, his hat tipping to the side to show a strand of straw–coloured hair that was covering his left eye.

"My jutsus are the epitome of art, and I decided to take with me my favourite –number 18, un!" he moved one hand in front of himself, pointing it towards the wall of Sunagakure. "Because our opponent is the Ichibi, un!"

Deidara started to laugh whilst his companion simply continued crawling towards Suna, shrugging.

As their leader had explained, they needed the Ichibi no Shukaku, not only because it was the last demon (as they had already captured and extracted the remaining seven, and detained the Kyuubi), but also because the Jinchuuriki of Shukaku was a friend of the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki.

Leader's plan was, in the end, rather simple; they would extract the Ichibi from the Kazekage, ensuring that all the other eight Bijuu were in their possession, and then show little Naruto the dead corpse of Shukaku's vessel.

Since the little Jinchuuriki was so easily controlled by his emotions, they would provoke it and use it against him, removing the wards on his body to make the Jinchuuriki react.

With his rage controlling him and making Kyuubi's chakra act up, the Akatsuki would then use it to revert the Yondaime's protective seal, and would thus suck out Kyuubi from the teen's body, finally completing the extraction of the last demon.

The operation was risky, because they'd have to act quickly and extract two Bijuu in a short span, but they had enough chakra to do it, and that would end their troubles with the demons.

As Deidara and his companion walked slowly towards the wall that protected the village of Suna, they could see the genius behind its creation –it was a high wall, made with blocks of brown–greyish stones that allowed many guards to hide within it, barricading inside and controlling every inch of the territory around Suna, ensuring a complete protection for the village.

At the Southern entrance, the one they were headed to, there were seven Jounin–level shinobi and five Chuunin, and all of them noticed the approaching figures instantly, though their chakra was carefully lowered to hide their full potential.

Twelve sets of eyes narrowed.

"What…" one of the guards standing in the lowest row of the wall frowned, taking in the appearance of the two. _'Red clouds on black cloths… isn't that…'_

He stopped his train of thoughts, suddenly hesitant.

During a meeting with the Kazekage and some of his councillors, as well as many of the high–levelled shinobi of Suna, the captain of the guards, Jounin Yuura, had told them about Akatsuki, an organization that was seeking out the demons like the one residing in their Kazekage's body.

The information had been certain since it originated from Jiraiya–sama, one of the esteemed Sannin of Konohagakure, that was now allied with Suna.

They had been told any information that would prove to be useful, such as a way to recognise the members of said organization –they always wore black cloaks with a pattern of red clouds on it… which was exactly what the two men were wearing as they moved closer.

The guard blinked, not sure of what to do, then he felt a familiar chakra flare up behind him and turned around, relieved to see Captain Yuura standing there.

He trusted the man implicitly, and this was the one who had explained the details regarding Akatsuki to the Kazekage and to the Council.

The man would know what to do.

"Captain!" he called out, pointing his finger at the two approaching figures. "Look, are those two…"

Then he stopped. The other Jounin's face was almost blank, his eyes fixed on the two, but there was something about him that the guard could not understand. He looked…

"Don't worry," Yuura spoke with a calm but emotionless tone. "It'll be over in a moment".

When Deidara and his companion finally arrived at the base of the wall, everything was silent, except the harsh wind howling in their ears.

The two slowly made their way towards the small passage in the middle of the protecting wall, and were met by a gruesome sight –corpses covered in blood were scattered on the ground, motionless, and a single person was standing in the middle of the bloody massacre.

Yuura was still staring in front of him with a blank look, almost as if he wasn't truly _there_, at least not completely. His hands and clothes were covered in blood, exposing him as the culprit for the deaths of his many companions.

The man crouched at Deidara's side smirked, eyeing the slaughter with a satisfied expression.

"I take it you remembered me… well done," he said.

Yuura fell to his knees in a flash, bowing down to the both of them. "Yes sir, of course, Sasori–sama!"

Deidara looked around, displeased; he didn't like infiltrations, because he was unable to show his artistic side then, since they had to crawl in unnoticed… but there again, he would get to use his skills soon enough, so there was nothing to be sad about.

Yet.

Still, he cracked his knuckles and lifted his little bag, lips twitching into a smug grin.

"It's alright… if he didn't remember I would have used my jutsu, un!"

Sasori cast an unreadable glance at his blond companion before looking again at Yuura. "He remembered, and now he is my faithful servant," he stated coldly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Deidara shook his head and lifted his left hand up; a soft chewing noise followed his motion, although it was hard to hear it above the rushing wind, and soon afterwards, the mouth on his hand spat out a ball of clay.

He closed his fist around the clay, and when he opened it again, the ball had taken the shape of a small bird–like creature.

"Here we go," he proclaimed, a satisfied smirk on his face. "Sasori–danna, please look… we are going to attack this village from high above".

He turned his hand around and the small statuette fell on the ground, landing on it with a low chirp. Deidara clapped his hands together in a seal, and with a puff of smoke, the bird suddenly grew large, losing its cute appearance and turning almost dangerous.

Deidara smirked in appreciation and without a second thought jumped high, landing on the back of the bird with a soft grunt.

"What do you think of this? My artistic creation, un!" Deidara turned around, glancing at his partner with a smirk, only to find him staring ahead, completely uninterested.

It had always been like this between them, ever since he'd joined Akatsuki… a private battle on what they considered real art to be; Deidara appreciated the discussion, and even though the two of them never fought it out physically, the difference between their opinions was vast.

It was fun, it made things spicier, really, and it was one of the reasons he liked the companion he'd been assigned to.

Not to mention that he as the only one who could nowadays get a reaction out of Sasori. The man was truly made of stone –well, wood… pun definitely intended– but if there was something that pushed him into a rant, that was art.

They never talked about their past, or why they had decided to join Akatsuki –neither thought the other to be trustworthy of such personal information, of course– and they had grouped together only for the sake of their common goal, nothing else.

There were no emotions attached, no feelings. Nothing.

Deidara found this funny as hell.

"I can't wait to see that," Sasori commented with a rough voice.

While the tone of his voice was even and it did not give away what he truly felt, Deidara was aware that his words had been mostly a taunt –Sasori had never appreciated Deidara's concept of art, after all.

Still, that was the best about his mate –Deidara had extreme fun in coming up with new ways to use his art, and one day, Sasori would finally admit defeat.

As the two left the walls and continued on their way, Deidara finally turned his attention to their current mission.

'_I wonder… what kind of person is the one tailed Jinchuuriki?'_

…–…–…–…

Naruto stifled a yawn, bored out of his mind.

He was becoming restless. That was probably the sign that his body was regaining its strength, and he welcomed it wholly, but that didn't change the fact that he was growing bored.

His body wanted to move, even if only to walk around aimlessly while he waited for Itachi to appear, and he craved for whatever interaction he could have with the older Uchiha, no matter how wrong they could be.

With Itachi not speaking, and Naruto trying to get back in shape, there was only so much he could do to pass the time… he tried to talk to Itachi, who usually ignored him, and then he thought back at his village, feeling guilty whenever he did so.

He missed his village. He missed his friends, and Iruka–sensei, and Tsunade and Jiraiya… what was the man doing? Was he hurting again for having failed Naruto?

Thinking about his sensei only made Naruto feel guiltier. He was biding his time, waiting for his body to recover enough, and outside, his precious people were living on.

That made him think about his relationship with the Uchiha, and he backtracked from that thought, not wanting to follow through.

What he had with Itachi… it was wrong, but at the same time, Naruto had decided he would not lose time thinking about it. He knew the boundaries, he knew what it was, and that maybe others would consider it wrong, but he didn't.

If his perspective was twisted, who was there to complain?

Naruto enjoyed what he did with Itachi. The thought almost disgusted him, yet he enjoyed the control Itachi had on him, just as much as he enjoyed trying out the limits to the older man's patience, stretching them to see what Itachi would allow him and what he would not.

He didn't consider it a betrayal, not if he thought about it… but at the same time, he was aware that nobody would understand his views on it –they would consider it a betrayal nonetheless…

Was it better to consider it treachery even though it didn't felt like it? He would never leave Konoha, he still wanted to protect it, and he had not been asked any information about it, nor would he ever give any even if asked…

He was loyal to Konoha. It was just a different thing altogether…

Shaking his head, Naruto tried to focus on something else. He needed to get out, soon. He didn't like to think too much… it made him feel like there were too many things to think about, and none was good.

Unfortunately, the only distraction he had was sitting a few feet away from him, silent and still as usual. Naruto was also growing tired of that. That man was truly impossible.

"What made you join Akatsuki?"

Now, maybe that could be called courting death.

Still, Naruto fancied believing that one day he would receive a reply from the older man, so he continued asking away whatever came to his mind. At least his voice was different from the silence…

And even though his questions were not what could be considered proper conversation –at least not with a mass murderer– that didn't mean he didn't wonder about it.

Maybe the solitude was getting to his brain, but there again, Naruto didn't care either way.

Looking up from the wards on his wrists –the only interesting thing to look at when Itachi wasn't around– Naruto allowed himself to glance at the raven haired shinobi, eyes narrowed a bit; for how many times he'd looked at the man, there was always something new that attracted his attention.

The way Itachi's shoulders shifted a bit every now and then, or how his eyebrow would twitch whenever one of Naruto's questions bothered him more than the others…

Every detail somehow mattered.

No one would ever call Naruto observant, after all, but having nothing else to do, he jumped on what he could.

For one, Itachi never discarded any of his clothes. Not the black outfit, not his pants… he never allowed Naruto more than a glimpse of his body underneath, and he didn't allow him to touch him either.

Naruto would often grab Itachi's shirt to anchor himself against the other man's rough, hurried actions when the world blurred into heat and pleasure, making him hazy and lost, but he'd never managed to touch his bare skin.

It was not that Naruto was an expert when it came to pleasuring someone. His first time had been with a mass murderer, after all. No one would expect him to know anything, as he'd never really experienced what others would call normal reactions of a teenager.

That didn't mean Naruto had never wanted to touch Itachi back, feeling his skin under his fingertips, to try and see if it was as sensitive as his own was whenever Itachi touched him…

Itachi used sex as a form of power, probably, which was why he wanted to retain complete control over Naruto, but at the same time, there was something that the blond detected in those eyes that spoke of a different thing entirely.

So Naruto continued to try, not wanting to give up.

It was when Naruto tried to test those limits that Itachi reacted a bit more harshly, reminding Naruto what his place in the whole situation was.

Itachi was in charge, and he made sure Naruto would remember it all the time.

Another thing Naruto wondered was if Itachi had ever allowed someone else to touch him. the thought lodged itself deeply in his subconscious, and at times he'd almost asked it out loud, but he'd never dared. Yet.

With all the questions he asked to Itachi, it was a wonder the man was still so stiff and controlled –it was almost a game to him, trying to find the right questions that would unsettle the older man into… something.

Maybe answer, for once. Anything that would show to him that Itachi was human.

Naruto wondered once again if his own interest over the Uchiha was as morbid as it sometimes felt to him. He usually just shrugged it off.

After all, with all the time he'd spent thinking about Itachi, even during the three years he'd been with Jiraiya, if there was a single hope to get a reaction from him, well… that would be enough.

He wanted to understand, and Naruto never gave up on something once he started it.

So he continued asking as many things as he could think about.

At the sound of Naruto's voice, Itachi's eyes twitched towards him again, darkening up a bit as he stared at the blond, who shivered a bit under the scrutiny but did not look away.

There were times Naruto still feared Itachi. He was strong, he was ruthless, and he didn't understand what he thought all the time, and had Naruto been anything but the vessel of Kyuubi, he was sure that Itachi would have killed him long before…

But at the same time, Naruto wasn't afraid of him anymore, either.

Itachi didn't hate him. He didn't like him either, but at least Itachi had offered him some sort of respect, in a twisted way, and Naruto appreciated it.

He looked at him and saw someone. And although that someone was the vessel of a demon, it was better than being considered the demon itself.

That was something else Naruto would have to do once out of Akatsuki's hands –show the world that he was strong without the chakra of the demon. Just Naruto, not Naruto the Jinchuuriki.

He had survived through an extraction, he had survived through a pain unlike any other, and that was a second chance for him.

He would not get respect through borrowed power.

That was something Sasuke didn't understand. He wanted revenge, and he wanted it so badly he'd accepted power that was not his own in order to gain it, but if he accomplished his goal, would that make him satisfied? Would that give him freedom?

Or would that be worse, robbing Sasuke of the only goal that had sustained him?

Staring into Itachi's eyes, Naruto felt the sudden urge to yell again.

The Sasuke he knew, his teammate, his best friend, his brother… it was hard to picture him killing Itachi in cold blood; it was wrong. It was weir. Could he do it, in the end?

The Sasuke he knew would falter, but what about the Sasuke he didn't know anymore? The Sasuke that had lived with Orochimaru for three long years… was he different now? Would he be able to take his brother's life without feeling remorse, without faltering?

Even Itachi had allowed Sasuke to live, for some strange reason Naruto didn't understand.

Why?

He didn't know that, either. But Itachi hadn't killed Sasuke then, would he even kill him now? Naruto had the weird feeling that no –he wouldn't.

Maybe he'd be proven wrong in the future, but he believed that.

As for Sasuke ever having the chance to kill his brother, Naruto didn't think it was possible; Itachi was different, he was strong, and all his skills were his own, not borrowed from someone else.

Why had Itachi killed his family? Out of hatred? Why had he joined Akatsuki? What did that organization offer to him, after all?

Was it because there hadn't been any other option?

Naruto had once heard about an illness that made people sympathize with their capturers even through torture. He did not remember the name of it, but he wondered if what was happening to him was a symptom of this illness.

He didn't think that was it, though –he didn't sympathize with Itachi. He wanted to know what was going through his mind, he wanted to know why he'd killed his family, if it had been out of hatred or not…

He wanted to understand him, but that did not mean he accepted or agreed with his behaviour. Even if he had a reason to kill so many people, that didn't mean Naruto would ever think it was a good one.

No reason could be good enough to justify a massacre, for him.

Yet, he wasn't disgusted by Itachi, either. He just wanted to understand, if he could.

There was something about Itachi that interested him –he'd seen many hide themselves underneath a mask, and he'd done it too, hiding away… but Itachi was different.

There was darkness within everybody, that was what Naruto thought, what he believed, but there was also light. He had managed to understand others, too, no matter the difficulties…

Gaara, Neji and even Sasuke, despite the fact that the younger Uchiha had decided to refuse his friendship to go to Orochimaru. He'd gotten close to Sasuke, but not enough, because Sasuke's mind had still been fixed on getting revenge.

One day, one day he would get Sasuke back, he'd promised that to Sakura and to himself. It was one of his goals.

Become Hokage to be acknowledged, respected and loved.

Make Sasuke understand that pursuing revenge like that was wrong (_a revenge on the same person that was moving towards him, finally forced out of his stillness, eyes blazing pools of swirling crimson as he advanced towards him_), that he needed to think about his own life, not live in regret for the lives that had been lost…

And now, he had a new goal –unravel the mystery that was Itachi.

Even though, at least for now, all his goals blurred away as Itachi's lips collided with his own in a heated kiss, and hands roughly pushed him down.

…–…–…–…

The sight was wonderful.

It didn't matter to him that the Kaze no Kuni was arid, deserted and empty, with only sand and rocks and very few plants that managed to resist to the changes in temperatures… the few villages that were built within the desert were anything but horrible.

Despite having been born in such a place, Sunagakure was enormous and florid; the village was conveniently placed in a depression of the ground, surrounded by a man–made stone wall that blended well with its surroundings and that offered a good protection.

That place didn't have to fear any kind of attack, protected as it was by the wall and the shinobi living in there. It was almost unassailable.

Almost.

From his position on the clay bird's back, Deidara observed the hidden village in the sand with interest, appreciatively eyeing every single rock and building, from the disposition of the village to the houses and how they were strategically built in a certain pattern.

As the bird flapped its wings, bringing him flying above Sunagakure, Deidara observed all the small details, all the carvings that made that place so beautiful.

The Kazekage tower was right in the middle of the village, clearly clashing against the rest of it because of its size, a round shaped tower that was the stable pillar of Sunagakure and its inhabitants. Every road headed to it, like a giant red centre from which many rays spread, reaching every border and every corner.

The village was filled with life.

Shifting the strands of blond hair out of his face, revealing a small camera that covered his left eye, Deidara used the zoom to take a closer look at the various parts of the village, carefully assessing its power and defences.

'_One… two… and… there is a third,'_ he thought, tapping the bird to make him move to the left. _'There are three sky guards, un,'_ he nodded to himself. For a city protected so well against ground assailants, to only have three guards to control the sky was… a severe miscalculation.

Deidara still admired the artistic disposition of the village, though.

"This disposition is not shabby at all, un!" he complimented the village out loud for no reason at all. Maybe he just liked the sound of his own voice. Well, that was how he was, after all. "It will be satisfying enough to destroy it…"

Rummaging through the bag he was holding close to his chest, the man took out three small clay spiders, roughly the same size the bird had been before he had expanded it with a jutsu. The small figurines had been previously prepared for this particular situation.

"It's a shame I have to use a sneak attack, un…" he shook his head, regretful. He would have done such a splendid job otherwise…

As the bird did a sharp twist in midair, Deidara let the spiders fall down, quickly bringing his hands into a handseal that caused the figurines to grow bigger –though not as much as the bird he was riding.

In different spots of Sunagakure, eyes scanning the skies carefully, three guards continued their shift of patrol duty, looking serious and concentrated.

None of them heard the soft thumps the spiders made after falling close to them, nor did they see the animals crawl up to their shoulders… when they did, it was too late already.

"Agh! What…" one by one, the spiders attacked the three Jounin, jumping on their faces; swiftly, they penetrated the soft skin around the men's eyes and mouth with the claws coming out of their legs.

"What the hell **is** this disgusting thing?" one of the men cried out in shock, voice muffled by the body of the spider.

Deidara heard and smirked, shaking his head. "Disgusting thing? Oh, you've really got no taste at all," the smirk grew bigger as he quickly prepared a handseal. "No wonder stupid, ignorant people can't comprehend art… un".

His smirk turned cold; all of sudden, it looked like the fun had disappeared from his face, leaving behind a serious yet somewhat maniacal look.

Eyes were shining dangerously as his lips moved to form whispered words, staring with fascination and excitement at the men as they struggled to get the spiders off.

"… but _I_ will teach you to respect art, _I_ will make you open your eyes and see…" he clapped his hands in a seal. "that **art is a bang**".

Three explosions resounded in the silence, but as the guards were situated in places where no one could really see or hear what was happening due to the wind still blowing harshly and their secluded positions, the explosions were not noticed.

No one saw the corpses of the Jounin fall lifelessly on the floor, heads blown off by the force of the exploded spider–bombs.

Deidara smirked in satisfaction as he led his bird into a swift descent, landing on top of the Kazekage tower with a soft tap.

Crouching down on the roof, Deidara allowed himself a short, clipped laugh, "infiltration successful," he said. It had been far too easy…

Then as the smoke cleared, he quickly realised that a person was standing right in front of him.

"Huh?"

It was a teen, obviously younger than he was, with flaming red hair, a tattoo on his forehead (_the kanji of 'ai', love, which once signified the loss of hope, and now the change of feelings… to protect now, not destroy_) and a huge gourd on his back; deep green eyes were fixed on him, glaring, his arms crossed over his chest.

Though he'd never met him before, Deidara recognized the person the moment his eyes set on him.

'_Sabaku no Gaara, Jinchuuriki of the Ichibi no Shukaku and Kazekage of Sunagakure no Sato, un…'_

There was only a second to think before the sand, controlled by Gaara, attacked him in a huge destructive wave.

…–…–…–…

Tsunade closed her eyes, not trusting herself to speak at the moment.

At her side Jiraiya was sporting a similar expression, although his face was hidden in his hands and he was slumped own on the table.

Both were deathly silent, shocked and silent.

Neji was leaning forwards a bit, composure for once completely forgotten as he stared at the two with something that felt a lot like hope.

Hiding behind the opened door, Shizune had one hand on her mouth, eyes widened in astonishment at Neji's daring words.

"Neji, it's not that easy…" Kakashi was the only one in the room who was able to speak up without allowing any emotion to roll out of his tongue, although they would be visible if one were to look into his uncovered eye anyway.

There was no place for hope. Not with this circumstance. He couldn't allow his heart to open up to hope when he knew without any doubt that he would only hurt himself. He had suffered enough as it was, he would not allow something stupid as _hope_ to break him fully.

"But… it's _obvious_!" Neji bit his lip, trying to regain his composure, but he just couldn't. He would not stop until the Hokage, Jiraiya–sama and Kakashi realised the truth of his statement. "They took away his body! Why would Akatsuki need Naruto's body? And why is Gaara still untouched when Akatsuki needs all the demons? They have Naruto alive, and for some reason, they can't take Kyuubi out!"

At the mention of Naruto's name uttered so carelessly, both Jiraiya and Tsunade stiffened. Naruto's death was still too fresh for them. It was hard to let him go.

Almost two months had gone by without Naruto, and they had a harder time adapting than Naruto's friends had.

All the others had found a reason to live again, more or less… Iruka had, in the end, returned to teaching at the academy, knowing that he needed to think about something else if he wanted to keep sane, Konohamaru had decided he would honour Naruto's memory by becoming the greatest Hokage ever, and had started playing pranks on the villagers to remind the village that there was someone who would take up Naruto's shoes, followed everywhere he went by his team instructor Ebisu.

Even Hinata was slowly learning to let go, even though her pale complexion had turned even paler as of late, and she was so quiet, even during training, that it was hard to believe she was around at all.

Kiba and Shino had tried to ease her pain, and slowly she was finally getting better. She had managed to smile too, no matter if the smile had been just a quirk of her lips, it was an improvement.

Unfortunately, Tsunade and Jiraiya had suffered through many things during their lives, seeing the truth of war, losing their loved ones… there wasn't even much to look forwards to, they were old… and moving on after losing someone they had loved so much…

It was harder than it seemed. They were lost and hurt.

They had lost too many, and the list of dead loved ones was far longer than that of those who were still living. Each name moving from the second list to the first was like a stab in their hearts.

Every name sounding like an accuse blaming them of having failed again.

Naruto was the hardest one to let go of, and to have Neji rush to them with his stupid hopes and his contradicting words, begging them to listen as he spoke of impossible things when he'd been the one to see the lack of chakra circulating through Naruto's body…

No, this was too much.

Tsunade was a medic–nin. She knew what no circulation of chakra meant.

Their only hope for the future was gone, and what kept them fighting was simply the duties they needed to do in respect to the dead, until their last breath.

"Tsunade–sama, Jiraiya–sama, Kakashi–sensei… believe me, Gaara is _right_," Neji stressed the last part, knowing he had the eyes of every person in the room focused on him.

"Neji, you have to let Naruto go," Kakashi commented, voice even. "We don't know anything about Akatsuki. They might have decided to keep his body to study it… or simply to mock us. Orochimaru was once part of that organization, we don't know how they think".

Jiraiya sighed warily. "I understand your concern, but we know next to nothing about that organization. We are only sure about three members belonging to that place, and they don't operate like ninja village do. We don't even know what they plan on doing with all the Bijuu once extracted…"

Tsunade nodded and straightened her back, forcing the small flicker of hope down as she glared at Neji, inwardly blaming him about that.

She could not delude herself. Not on Naruto. Never.

"Stop this useless racket, Hyuuga," she stated clearly, voice steely. "Your mission is over, you are dismissed".

Lee grabbed Neji's arms, gently pulling him away, but he frowned, shaking his head almost desperately. "No, you don't understand –I am sure Gaara is right! I believe Naruto to be still alive!"

Realising how the shinobi present in the room were staring at him, Neji felt anger mount inside of him. They were pitying him, they were sure he was just delusional… why couldn't they understand…?

Lee and TenTen tugged Neji and lead him out of the room, smiling slightly at him as if to reassure him, and Shizune left with them, closing the door behind her back; Kakashi disappeared with a cloud of smoke, eye darkened with unrestrained emotion as he did so.

Jiraiya and Tsunade, left alone in the room, quickly averted their eyes from each other, suddenly feeling ill at ease.

"Tsunade…" Jiraiya's voice was not as steady as he wanted it to be.

"No. _No_, Jiraiya, _no_. I'm too tired for this," she shook her head and leaned onto her hands. "Too _damn_ tired…"

Jiraiya looked down, and without another work he stepped towards her, embracing the shaking frame slowly, trying to offer as much comfort as he sought from her in a rare, unusual and almost foreign sign of affection between the two former teammates.

"I know, Tsunade–hime… I know," he muttered, closing his eyes. _'I am, too…'_

Outside the Hokage tower, Neji looked up at the sun. Unbidden, the memory of looking at the same sun came to him. The day Naruto had given him hope, the day he had realised that Fate wasn't really controlling his life.

"Neji–kun, I know you are hurt…" TenTen bit her lower lip and glanced at him with warmth in her eyes. "But I can't tell you I believe you. Naruto is dead, and you have to let go…"

Lee looked away; he knew he shouldn't have mentioned to Neji about Gaara's words –he knew how hung over Naruto the Hyuuga still was, after all– and it was his fault if Neji's heart had renewed hope.

He needed to talk with someone who could help him and advise him on what to do… he needed his sensei. He needed to talk with Gai–sensei…

Walking away, uncharacteristically slowly, Lee barely waved at his two teammates, not seeing as TenTen did the same, leaving Neji alone to think. She knew that Neji needed to talk with someone, but she also knew that this someone was not her, but a certain lazy Chuunin sprawled somewhere, looking at clouds.

Neji glared at the ground, barely noticing when Lee and TenTen walked away. He simply could not explain them the hope that had blossomed within his chest, they wouldn't understand, that much was clear…

But he truly believed in Gaara's judgement. He knew that somewhere, Naruto was alive, and he felt it in his bones.

'_Naruto…'_ Neji closed his eyes, hands tightened into fists. _'You believed in me more than ones, and now… now it will be me believing in you. I can't help you because I don't even know where you are, and they wouldn't let me go since they don't share this hope, but… I am sure that wherever you are, you will return soon. I will believe that'_.

As it was, Neji would keep on hoping and waiting. There was nothing else he could do.

And now… he needed to see Shikamaru.

…–…–…–…

Naruto hissed, eyes wide and pupils turned into slits, as he felt teeth sink into his throat.

They bit into his skin, puncturing it, and he could feel a trickle of blood drip out, licked away a moment later by a talented tongue.

Arching his back with another gasp, Naruto accepted the double edge of pleasure and pain, licking his lips and pushing himself closer.

His hands were for once not pinned above his head, a position that was both uncomfortable and arousing –as it left him vulnerable to Itachi's assaults– nor were they clutching at Itachi's shirt; he was sprawled on the futon, fingers clenching and twitching at the small bites and licks Itachi was administrating to his body.

It was hard not to let himself go –the way Itachi explored his body roughly left no space for thought– as pleasure burned quickly through his frame, but Naruto's attention tried to keep focused on the man above him.

Itachi was still teasing him, controlling him…

It felt good –every touch, every bruising kiss was like liquid fire through his veins, and Naruto's lips were parted to groan and gasp, feeling the pleasure trickle through his brain, making it hard to think…

And yet, Naruto slowly concentrated on lifting his arms.

Fingers twitching as he let out a throaty moan, Naruto felt Itachi's mouth move along his collarbone, legs parting on their own accord as a tongue traced his ear shell–

"Ah!"

Eyes fluttering close, Naruto almost lost it when the older man's teeth closed on his earlobe and pulled –his ears were far too sensitive, as was his whole body whenever Itachi touched him.

Still, biting back a strangled moan, Naruto fought to focus on his task, and without allowing himself any time to consider what reaction he would get, he finally did what he'd wanted ever since the start of this 'affair' –his fingers reached Itachi's hair and touched it.

For a second, Naruto simply focused on how nice it felt under his hands. It was soft, much more than he would have expected.

His action was rewarded by Itachi stiffening above him, then Itachi bit him again, on the juncture between his ear and the neck. The bite was almost vicious and Naruto yelped loudly as Itachi's teeth punctured his skin again, this time hard enough to force more blood out of him.

Arching his back, Naruto yanked his hands away, knowing he shouldn't have dared but not regretting it at the same time, and as he moved away, his fingers clumsily tripped in the sash holding Itachi's hair and pulled it off.

A cascade of black hair fell like water all around Naruto's head, almost like a soft blanket of charcoal, soft hair gracing his cheeks and lips, and he was stunned at the sight, unable to say anything as he touched it again.

It was beautiful.

Then, the hair moved away as Itachi jerked his head back, and Naruto found himself looking straight up into a pair of crimson eyes that were spinning badly–

Naruto was still staring, the beautiful cascade of hair around Itachi's head, the paleness of his skin, his eyes –that was a sight Naruto would not be able to forget, not even in a million years.

In that split moment, Naruto did not care what reaction Itachi would have to his touches, he did not care if the retaliation would be painful…

He let his fingers dance in the silky hair anyway, following as Itachi pulled away, transfixed with the feeling and the sight and–

It felt good –Itachi was still above him, their bodies pressed together lewdly, there was a faint smell of blood from Itachi's lips and his own neck, and his body was hot and needy, and Naruto couldn't look away from the older man.

"Beautiful," he breathed, not even aware of having spoken his thoughts loudly.

His lips twitched upwards in a satisfied grin. The sight had been worth it, being able to see and feel the soft texture of Itachi's hair under his feelings was almost like he'd tried to take control of something, even if something this small…

Naruto's eyes met Itachi's crimson ones again (_sensing more than seeing the slight shock, or maybe confusion in them… but surely it was just a trick of light since Itachi barely ever felt emotions_), satisfied and smug, and pushing himself upwards, he dared something else.

With the smirk still in place, Naruto reached up and licked Itachi's thin lips slowly, then let his body slump down again, wincing when he felt a slight pain from his neck.

Itachi didn't say anything, eyes wide and spinning still fixed on him.

For a long second, Naruto waited in bathed breath, wondering if Itachi would just get up and leave or punish him for it, or…

Crimson eyes bled into charcoal black again, the Sharingan disappeared into nothing, and before Naruto could even think, he was being surrounded by that silky blanket again, feeling it tickling his face as Itachi's tongue traced the contours of the small wound on his neck, cleansing it from the blood.

Naruto groaned, feeling terribly lewd –the feathery touch of the hair made his body burn with renewed desire, so much he was left shocked at its intensity.

He didn't know why Itachi simply resumed his ministrations, deciding to amuse Naruto, but the blond was grateful enough for that.

Being allowed this small victory of sorts (_did he do it to show Naruto he didn't care? Did he do it to reward his pet? Did…_) Naruto sighed and parted his legs more, gasping and groaning when Itachi stimulated every inch of his body to make him cry out and beg.

Naruto relented and allowed himself to drown in pleasure.

…–…–…–…

Deidara was pleased.

Well, pleased would be an understatement; Deidara was _amused_.

The fight with the Ichibi Jinchuuriki had been rather amusing, and definitely rushed. Gaara had used his power the second he'd seen Deidara standing on top of the Kazekage tower, trying to crush the Akatsuki member with its sand.

–**Start Flashback–**

Deidara managed to jump back onto his bird, forcing it to leave the roof, a split second before the sand reached the spot he'd occupied until a second before, and then glanced down at the Kazekage with a smirk.

"You knew I was there, un," he commented, lips stretched into a grin. His eyes glinted strangely.

Gaara stared up at him with a stony expression before the sand curled back around his feet, moving him upwards in the air to meet the Akatsuki member on the sky above Sunagakure.

'_His power is useful… un,'_ he thought, staring at the sand under Gaara's feet. _'So that's how a Jinchuuriki fights, hmmm…'_

"There aren't birds like yours in this desert," Gaara commented coldly, green eyes seizing Deidara emotionlessly.

"Well, that was helpful… now I won't have to search through this village for you, un!" Deidara laughed again, amused and rather pleased to be able to fight so soon.

Staring unblinkingly at the strange man on the back of the bird, Gaara recognised easily the coat for what it was –the signature of the organization Akatsuki, the one both his Jounin Captain and Jiraiya–sama had warned him about.

He organization that wanted the nine demons.

Something else flashed through his mind, and his eyes turned into slits.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Gaara hissed. "He is _alive_," it was more of a statement than a question.

Deidara smirked, eyes glinting mischievously, but did not respond to the insinuation.

Gaara lifted both arms up high, eyes blazing with some sort of sedated anger, and Deidara moved out of the way as an enormous column of sand exploded from behind the redhead.

With a stifled grunt, the Akatsuki shinobi had barely enough time to order his bird to fly away before the sand started to chase him.

'_Well, risky… he has the geographical advantage… un'._

So the battle started, the two flying and moving across the sky above the village, exploding bombs against sand.

Gaara's sand took the appearance of clawed hands reaching out for Deidara, so the older shinobi grabbed a handful of his clay birds and flung them against him, only for each of them to disintegrate against the absolute defence of the wall of sand.

The last two birds, though, were luckier than the others before them, and managed to slip past the sand–hands and hit the Jinchuuriki.

Deidara smirked, waiting for the smoke to shift away, but as soon as he could see his opponent, the sight made his lips twitch downwards.

The redheaded Kazekage had covered his body into a sand–made shell, protecting himself from the explosions with a barrier that had blown up any chance of Deidara to get close to him.

"… Shit…"

What was he supposed to do? By his knowledge, this wasn't the weakest Jinchuuriki ever, but he hadn't expected such a strength, either. It was proving to be annoying, and the fact that Gaara had such an advantage with sand over him was something not to be underestimated.

Deidara remained still for a second, assessing his opponent.

If he could find a way to weaken Gaara's protection, he would be able to revert his disadvantage into a strength; the sand the Jinchuuriki was using came from the gourd, which meant it contained more chakra than the one the guy took from his surroundings.

Gaara used the sand around him to power up his attacks, but it was harder to use and it would not bend to Gaara's will like the sand he owned would, simply because with Shukaku's chakra embedded into his sand, it rendered it malleable and easy to control.

If he could make Gaara spread more of his sand, draining his energy…

Too lost in his analysis, Deidara did not feel the danger behind him fast enough; he turned around a split second too late, and saw the giant mass of sand that was closing in on him. single eye growing wide, Deidara turned to get out of it–

"Shi–"

The Desert Prison closed onto Deidara with a loud _wham_, but the shinobi had the presence of mind to use the giant current of air caused by the sand closing down on him to his advantage –he managed to get out of the way at the last possible moment, the prison closing up inches from him.

"Hah!"

Unfortunately for him, his bird had to be sacrificed, and a second later, the blond missing–nin started to free–fall towards the ground.

Despite falling at maximum speed, the wind slashing wildly against his face, his hair ripping around, Deidara still managed to keep his calm, and he looked upwards, admiring the remains of the attack he'd almost been caught into with a pleased expression.

Biting his lips in wonder, Deidara clicked his camera once. _'What to do, what to do…'_

Again Gaara attacked, not leaving his opponent any time to think of a counterattack; some of the sand Gaara controlled –the one from his gourd– attached itself to Deidara's left arm.

"_Sabaku Kyuu_," from inside his protection, Gaara's eyes narrowed in a glare.

The sand around Deidara's arm closed with a sickening crack.

Much to Gaara's surprise, Deidara kept his cool poker face even when one of his arms was being yanked away from the rest of his body.

Still falling, Deidara dropped one of his last bird figurines down, and with a quick one–hand seal, he had it grow to the size the previous one had been.

Flapping its clay wings, the owl–like bird moved upwards again with Deidara on his back, and the man stared at the combination of sand Gaara had used with a speculative eye, seeming to barely notice his arm being ripped off of him.

He'd seen the damage the chakra–moulded sand of the gourd could do, and this was where the ultimate defence brought him…

Rummaging through his bag, Deidara hummed in thought.

'_Only the__ bird I am using and my favourite number 18 left… un. What to do…'_ Deidara picked up a small, strange–looking sculpture of clay and held it in his only remaining hand as he stared straight into Gaara's narrowed eyes.

There was only a small quantity of sand that the red haired teen had in his gourd, so the really dangerous sand was a small percentage compared to the normal sand.

Deidara smirked. Time to have his little piece of art shown to everyone… especially the Kazekage…

–**End Flashback–**

Deidara smirked as his bird flapped its wings, soaring high in the air.

His eyes trailed down to the hole he had in place of his arm, but his smirk, instead of vanishing, only grew. The fight had been entertaining, no matter the cost. Maybe the loss would just make life funnier for him, hmm…

Yes, even though he had to sacrifice an arm, the bomber was rather satisfied.

After all, he thought as he glanced behind him, he had achieved his goal.

On the back of his bird, unconscious and helpless, was Sabaku no Gaara, the Jinchuuriki of Ichibi no Shukaku.

The last standing demon had been finally captured.

"Not killing him was harder than I first thought… but my job here is done. So stupid, sacrificing himself for that village, but still… mission complete… un".

…–…–…–…

A falcon flew through the blue sky towards Konoha.

In his claws was an urgent plea from Sunagakure –the Jinchuuriki of the first tailed demon, the Kazekage, had been captured by Akatsuki.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** More about the fight between Gaara and Deidara will come up next chapter, hopefully.

Also, as someone mentioned that, no, it's not Stockholm Syndrome. Naruto's interest has been building for a while before he was captured, and Naruto is not the type to be swindled just like that. For now, it was just sex.

Review?


	17. Deceit

**Edited:** 15/05/2011

**Thanks to all my sweet reviewers. Every review is like an energizer for me :3**

**StarsOfYaoi****:** new chapter, with a bit of plot development ^^

Also, Itachi was thirteen when the Uchiha clan was annihilated. People mourn Sasuke's childhood, but Itachi's one was rather messed up too. Even if the recent manga development wasn't taken into account, that would still be true.

This chapter has another part regarding Itachi's past. Enjoy? :D

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 17: Deceit**

_The silence around him __was complete._

_A part of him, buried somewhere deep inside, hidden where even he could not entirely reach it, was feeling utterly nauseated by the sight._

_He did not know when the feeling had started making itself known –the unfamiliar tug in his chest every time he looked at the place around him, the compound… at the people who also lived there, like him._

_The normalcy, the __vain lives they lived, as if nothing was wrong, as if they could not see the truth…_

_It seemed real, but at the same time, it was nothing but a lie. That emptiness he saw caused another wave of hatred to fill him. Much like it had been years before, when he had been unable to control this emotion__ perfectly, he found it hard to completely rule over it._

_One single emotion that he could feel, and it was powerful, overwhelming… it was almost surprising how strong hatred could be…_

_At times it led him to wonder if, had things been different, leading him into a different direction, he would have been able to feel something else –if cultivated, the something that had made Shisui important enough for him to warrant the trig__ger for the Mangekyou Sharingan would have been something else…_

_The answer wasn't important, though –not when the hatred caused everything else to blur into nothing._

_He focused solely on that hatred, and it was enough to make everything else seem grey. Dull._

_Was he living, after all?_

_Itachi wondered, these times, whether the blood running inside his veins was enough of a proof if his existence or not. Seeing what his family had caused him to become, the answer was tricky._

_Maybe this was simply how he was destined to feel._

_The same part of him that at times hesitated, overwhelmed, also mourned for the chances he'd never had; he was a shinobi, and as such his childhood had been hindered already –ninja learn quickly that life is not a gift, but an option._

_Shinobi were meant to take death, hold it highly above and bring it to others, or accept it as it fell upon them._

_Itachi was the living proof of this, as his hands were marred with blood that was not his own, of many who were now dead._

_And yet, being alive didn't mean he had a life. He was a genius, perfect and growing in his perfection, but that mean he had never had a chance to truly live._

_Being perfect for this life as a shinobi meant he would never have a life. What was the point of doing everything right if it was so common there was no satisfaction for it?_

_Even his little brother was offered a chance. Why not him, too?_

_Why couldn't he have what everybody else –those who were not perfect– had? Where was his 'normality'?_

_He was the first one to forget that he was young, though –many others preferred to see him as an adult, because jealously and envy were just more humiliating when they were focused on a kid._

_When you were always compared to an adult, the fact that you were truly a kid were easy to forget, after all._

_But despite that, he was no adult. And thus, all the sacrifices he'd been forced to make were harder on him than on others, technically…_

_Did this mean he felt regret, too? Did this mean he was jealous for what he was not allowed to have that others, less perfect men had –a life? A normal life where making mistakes was accepted and not exploited?_

_Itachi never did mistakes, but he knew they were watching, hoping he would, so that they could use it to bring him down._

_There was a saying –people learn from their mistakes. Did it mean Itachi lacked something, since he never erred?_

_But there was no jealously, since the only feeling he could recognise was the hatred… staring quietly from his spot within the shadows as others lived their lives, Itachi wondered if he'd been able to have a normal life, had he not chosen the life of a shinobi._

_Once again, a wishful thinking, since he wasn't the one who chose that life for himself._

_As part of the main branch of the Uchiha family, he had been expected to take the path leading to a ninja life; everything he was had been planned out and controlled, expecting he would just submit and agree._

_He had nodded, accepting the leash and the collar around his neck._

_Was he nothing more than a weapon for his clan?_

_But then, he had to admit, shinobi were meant to be weapons with no feelings; so he was a perfect shinobi._

_It was like a vicious cycle._

_If things had been different, would he have been able to feel normal emotions? Would someone have looked at him, recognising who he was, instead of just assuming things because of his shallow perfection, appearance and acting?_

_Someone who would not give his life to aid him in his ascend?_

_Deceit._

_Maybe Itachi was really feeling jealous, maybe he was truly feeling regret for the something he'd never had, for the something he could not gain…_

_But he didn't know that something, and how could there be regret for something he'd never had before?_

…–…–…–…

_As the three men stood there, in front of him, waiting, Itachi knew he should have felt something. Anything._

_The men had hurried to him, with their typical Uchiha arrogance, to inform him of the death –apparent suicide– of his supposed best friend, Shisui._

_He still felt nothing._

_The three members of the Shinobi Police Force spoke harshly, blatantly accusing him of having committed a murder, of having killed his best friends –not with words, but with subtle yet clear actions._

_A part of him almost felt refreshed –they were finally starting to notice, even though it was too late now._

_Unfortunately, their accuses meant nothing to him. Their glares, their very same existence were unimportant, and he easily replied to their charges with even tone and placid eyes._

_He was tired._

_This fake life, having to keep up with the demands of a clan that had tied him down to them, preventing him from being free, binding him to something he could neither understand nor accept… he was tired of all of this._

_Forced to walk every day in front of people he'd grown to despise, knowing that when they looked at him, they only saw the perfect weapon, not the person._

_Was there something inside that weapon exterior? Was he still a person? He was perfect, but that didn't mean he had a soul. Maybe he didn't. Maybe he did. It was useless to wonder, though –it unsettled him._

_This life was wearing him out. Nobody looked close, nobody wanted to notice that there was more underneath his shallow appearance, and that this weapon was better left alone, because looking closer would mean uncovering something nobody wanted to see._

_Wasn't there anyone that could care for something other than perfection?_

_Would this village just continue existing like this, forging new generations of shinobi and civilians that were just like the older generations?_

_The part of him that sometimes still thought about Shisui shivered at the thought, and pulled away. It made him feel even more tired._

_There was no way out for someone like him. if he continued bowing, then there would be nothing left. Ever.__ Until death._

_Even death meant nothing to him, because there was nothing he believed in._

_There was no need for faith, no need for divinities and gods and beliefs and spirits that could make his life more acceptable, because he was a shinobi, and he had killed. There was no real god worth of this name that could condone killing._

_How could he believe that some supreme entity ruled over humans, when it was simply mere convenience for them to blame whatever happened in their lives to some divinity, or fate, or god instead of accepting they were at fault?_

_Life was a mere existence, and death was the end._

_And for Itachi, living his life within that village was just like being dead inside –there was no possible way out; if he left, he would be considered a nuke–nin, and then his life would be just running away until he died._

_What was the point?_

_He had seen many fall like that, he had killed many traitors with his own hands, under the mask of an ANBU._

_He had seen shinobi who did not want to kill anymore, retired in small, unnamed villages, being dragged away from their wives and children and killed on the spot without second thoughts._

_He had seen trained killers being reintegrated into society because they had traded espionage for life._

_He ha__d seen murderers being killed as well as many innocents that were caught in the middle of the action._

_Ninja claimed to be better than the traitors that they chased down every day, but in fact they were not, and Itachi could see it clearly. It was simply life._

_There was no real peace, no matter what direction one would choose to take, and maybe being normal would be exactly like this._

_Betrayal… even betrayal was nothing but a hollow decision._

"_So you are suspicious of me?" his voice echoed through the air, a vibrant hiss that held contempt at the three men that had turned their backs on him._

_He had been the one to kill Shisui, but their careless words, the way they referred to his 'best friend' with such lowly terms, as if he'd been below them when in truth he had been twice as smart, twice as strong…_

_His steely grasp over his emotionless mask slipped._

_For a split second, he felt himself waver, and the hatred –the feeling that filled him to the brim, making his lungs burn and his eyes water– threatened to take over him._

_As he finished speaking, his voice still surprisingly clipped, he found his Sharingan activated; Sharingan against Sharingan, another tie to the clan. Triggered by…_

_Hatred. They were the reason he had received that curse, they were why he'd been tied to them. They thought the Sharingan to be undefeatable, but Itachi knew better._

_What they replied cooled him down instantly, but it made his hatred flare up even more._

"_Yes, brat," one of the three men hissed, disgust and contempt lacing his tone. He was arrogant –he probably thought that someone like Itachi could never really be better than him– and his stance proved it._

_Once again, another foolish, useless man._

_The second of the three took a step forwards, a scowl marring his features. "Listen, Itachi," he growled out in a pathetic imitation of a warning tone (it was far too easy to detect the fear in his voice, though. Pitiable), "If you betray the clan, you won't go unpunished"._

_He moved._

_Fas__t, faster than anyone else, unseen by the three that claimed to be better than him –better than perfection– and in an instant he'd hit all of them with ease, making their Sharingan turn into black eyes as they fell on the ground with groans of pain._

_There it was, boiling right under his skin –the hatred… cold, untamed… yet, he could still control it. He felt oddly satisfied as he stared at them, down on the ground at his feet._

"_As I said moments ago," his voice was cold, his eyes not even looking at them as he spoke, "Don't judge others… simply by your preconceptions, and by their appearance…"_

_He__ had enough of it all._

_Enough of the false warmth, enough of the pretence, and enough of all the masks. His hatred was spreading to his whole body, and the sudden, unbidden desire to end their disgraceful lives, without the respect he had offered to Shisui, but simply ending them…_

"_You assumed I had patience," his face was kept neutral and blank through all of this, being unable to express his hatred through his expressions. "The clan, the clan," he stared without concern at the three, who shuddered and tried to stand up again under his scrutiny._

_His father was glaring at him with more than simple hatred –he was afraid. Afraid of what Itachi could do now, because he could see that his grip over his perfect tool was wavering, and if he couldn't control his son anymore, then…_

_He knew such a moment would come, but he'd thought he could stop him still… he owned Itachi –he had every right to use him, his perfect soldier, his weapon, his tool…_

_He couldn't allow him to be this disrespectful, when he was naught but what Fugaku wanted him to be…_

_Itachi continued talking, Sharingan orbs still flashing dangerously. His mask, for a single moment, was lost, showing what he was keeping hidden behind it. "You all fail to measure your own capacity, and to realize the depths of my own ability, as a result of which you now lay here in defeat"._

_The three were trying to respond to his veiled menace, half–circling the younger Uchiha, glaring at him with mixed emotions, laced with fear; to them, his speech meant nothing, as their lives were devoted to the clan first, the village next._

_They didn't consider themselves weak or useless, and their arrogance flared up in response._

_They had grown up accepting and coveting the Clan's teachings, their lives corrupted by desire for power and strength –for their lust for supremacy, they would use anything and anyone without care._

"_We had Shisui keep an eye on you. Since your acceptance into the ANBU corps your way of speaking has become strange indeed," one of them grunted out, still retaining his superiority despite his position of disadvantage. "What are you aiming at?"_

_Itachi's shoulders were relaxed as he replied. To him, this meant nothing._

_Shisui hadn't been loyal to them. As amusing as it was, Shisui had been loyal to him –the person who had killed him._

"_You hold onto your organization, onto your clan, onto your name, refusing to see that such things limit us and our capacity," that 'us' was shallow as he spoke it. 'Us' had no meaning for Itachi, since there had never been an 'us' or a 'we' involving him. "It's foolish to fear something we have yet to meet and know…"_

_But they didn't want to change; they would refuse to see the truth, even if someone who had seen it, someone who had realised their conservative minds prevented them from advancing, __were to show it to them._

_They were doomed to end and rot away, and Itachi could see it clearly; he had offered them one last chance, a chance they had not given to him, but they had wasted it._

_There was no more hope for the clan._

_They were not worth of the truth, hiding away under lies and false, corrupted beliefs._

_He stopped, muscles relaxing. It didn't matter, and if it ever had before (it hadn't), now it didn't anymore._

_The man who was his father stepped in front of him, one hopeless, hurried attempt to prevent the inevitable from happening._

_For a single moment, __Itachi thought that it would happen then… but no, the moment passed._

_But now, thanks to that… he knew what to do. It was about time._

_The way his father looked at him, it was like they were alone without any of the other members standing there._

"_Why did you not come that night?" Fugaku asked him, but the tone made Itachi realise he knew it already._

"_In order to reach the height," Itachi replied. His voice was calm again, everything hidden under his mask of nothingness just like before._

_He could hear his heart beating softly within his chest, soothing and steady. He could feel his entire body hum in synch with his heart._

_His answer __was almost like a start –the gears started moving again._

"_The what?" his father__ demanded to know._

'This is beyond reality'_, Fugaku thought, suddenly hit by the truth of what was happening_. 'He's not sane anymore, he can't be controlled. My weapon slashed my hand as I tried to take a hold on it…'

_For a single moment, as Itachi flung the kunai through the centre of their clan's symbol, not even looking at it as he did so, the head of the clan, Uchiha Fugaku, wondered if he had perhaps dared to mess with something bigger than him._

_And felt fear grip his insides._

"_Of my capacity…__" Itachi murmured, almost to himself. In the silence, his voice was like a loud yell. "I've lost all hope for this pathetic clan…"_

_And then, despite Sasuke appearing –eyes too innocent to realise the extent of the truth he'd just glimpsed at– and despite Itachi's words until then, Fugaku still allowed himself to be fooled… so easily._

_Itachi fell down to his knees and begged, knowing that he should bide his time for now, and he could see it in the eyes of his father…_

_He thought he still had control over his weapon, he still thought he could reign control on him, thanks to the useless son he had no use for…_

_Itachi could still feel nothing._

_There was no remorse in their actions, so there would be none in his. No shame, no anger, no pain._

_There was only __the knowledge that it did not matter –bowing to them, lying to them… not even their arrogance was worth something to him._

_They would all die._

_So even allowing them to win now, walking away while he remained crouching, his head down, did not make him ashamed._

_His Sharingan moved from them to where his little brother was, and he met with the scared eyes of Sasuke._

_He had to thank that little kid –hadn't he appeared, Itachi would have gladly started his judgement then… but no, it wasn't time yet._

_For that kid alone, Itachi's eyes shifted into its complex form, its purest form, showing it to him, as a warning._

_Next time, he would teach him something worth his time –and he wasn't talking about how to properly throw kunai._

…–…–…–…

There was no way in hell that it could have happened.

Kankurou could not believe it, he couldn't _accept_ it.

Akatsuki had captured his little brother and taken him away, and that meant they would extract his demon. They would kill him, and Kankurou couldn't accept it.

Maybe they'd had a shaky start, because of their father and how Shukaku had lingered in the back of Gaara's head, scaring Kankurou away, but… they both had changed. Kankurou loved his little brother, and he couldn't allow him to be taken away like this.

He could barely control his emotions as he followed the bird belonging to the damned organization through the desert, eyes trained on the small shape in the sky.

The bird was nothing like he'd ever seen before, which meant that either it wasn't something living, or it didn't belong to the climate of Kaze no Kuni. Either way, Kankurou did not let his eyes move from its flying shape.

His little brother was on there. He would not fail. He would get him back.

Gaara… Gaara had done something Kankurou, in all his good will, wouldn't have thought he would ever do –he had protected Suna with all his strength, risking his own life for the village he'd sworn to protect.

He had never felt prouder of his little brother before.

Now everything was in his hands. He had to rescue his brother before anything else happened to him…

–**Start Flashback–**

Sabaku no Kankurou was a die–hard pessimist.

No one in Suna, if asked, would have denied the truth of this statement; some would even add that he was somewhat of a pervert, but yes, mainly he was known for his pessimism rather than for his raging hormones.

In normal conversations, he would start mentioning dangers, wars and trouble, with such a convinced, offhanded tone that whoever he was talking with would be left almost speechless.

Maybe it had something to do with how he was trained, how he had grown up –having an older sister like Temari was not an easy ride, after all, then there was their father and his own ideas on how his oldest son had to behave, and in the end, there was Gaara too, the vessel of the Ichibi no Shukaku…

No, being the second born of this family had not been easy at all.

Kankurou had never believed in Fate, unlike Neji, and he was aware that life was not a piece of cake, though he knew that good things could happen… he was simply convinced that if something could end badly, then it would end even worse.

When requested, he would offer a fair amount of examples –the people who were caught unaware and were forced to listen to his rambles knew as much. He loved to rant about it, and those examples were repeated over and over to whoever had to listen.

He did it to make his point clear, of course. Not because he had fun watching them squirm and fidget as he recounted stories in gruesome detail…

One of his main examples would be the way Otogakure had tricked Sunagakure, causing their Kazekage to be assassinated, and they had almost lost a war against Konoha.

Of course Kankurou's predictions didn't come true all the time, but that was besides the point. Really. He was just prepared.

As far as he could see, a ninja's life was not something one could live being happy. Naruto was that kind of person, and he had died, even though Gaara refused to accept that truth.

With all his pessimism, however, Kankurou had to accept that things could be also good, and he was grateful for that. Gaara was not out to destroy Suna anymore, he was the new Kazekage, and Suna was flourishing under his power.

All of this had been thanks to the same loud, cheerful blond, and for that, Kankurou would respect Naruto forever. The guy might be dead now, but the puppeteer master would forever be in debt with him.

The results of his help were clear now, as Kankurou stared up at the giant ball of hardened sand that was floating above Sunagakure –his little brother was up there, fighting against the enemy, and that filled him with worry and admiration.

Nonetheless, Kankurou was standing stiff and tense, his painted face hardened up in a frown that could have frightened the scariest of oni away.

He had grown up, and on his back there wasn't one puppet covered in bandages anymore, substituted with a three–scroll holder with all his deadliest weapons, and yet he could do nothing to aid his brother fighting.

At his side, equally useless, were the Jounin commander of the Suna troops, one of the Councillors under the Kazekage and a group of Suna–nin.

Kankurou's frown deepened some more.

He should have known better than to allow Suna's current streak of luck to dull his usual refines sixth sense. Yuura, Captain of a Jounin squad that had been assigned to the Wall, had returned to the Kage building covered with blood that was not his own, talking about a massive attack from two figures dressed up in black cloaks, and that had left him as the sole survivor.

No one could kill a group of more than twenty hard–trained shinobi this easily, unless they had taken the men by surprise, but it was only after he'd seen one of the two attackers fighting with Gaara that Kankurou had been able to make the right connection.

Akatsuki had attacked Sunagakure.

As far as he could see, Gaara was holding himself well enough, but the protective barrier he'd put up scared the puppeteer master quite a bit; Gaara only used such strong protection when he felt truly threatened, or when he was in serious trouble.

That could only mean his opponent was a strong one.

"Hurry up!" he could hear the man at his side order the group of Jounin behind them. "We're going to backup Kazekage–sama! Prepare yourself for battle, now!" his face was set with determination as he angrily barked his next order. "Medical Squad, set up a barrier a bring the civilians there, quickly!"

The group scattered around and for a moment, Kankurou and the man were the only ones left to stare at the raging battle above their heads.

"Kankurou…" the teen turned towards the councillor. "You have to start thinking of the possibility that Gaara might go crazy again," his voice was restrained and low. "And a scenario where Shukaku could come out as well".

Kankurou felt a surge of rage pass through his body, but restrained himself with difficulty, his chakra flaring up slightlyat the audacity of the man.

How could he not trust their Kazekage after everything he'd gone through, everything he'd suffered, all for Suna?

"Nothing like this will happen, don't be ridiculous," he stated. The absolute certainty of his words made the other turn towards him in shock. "Gaara won't harm the people of this village".

The words sounded foreign on his lips, since he had been the first to run away in fright whenever a bit of Gaara's power leaked out of his control before, but things had changed.

Gaara had stated something, over two years before, staring at the sunset with emotionless eyes, and that something was carved into Kankurou's memory; that had been the moment he'd realised the extent of Naruto's influence on his little brother.

At the time, Kankurou had been unsettled by the Council's request for Gaara to become the new Kazekage, and he had not hesitated to share with his little brother about his fears, knowing that for once, Gaara would not hurt him.

Gaara's reply had been stunning and heart–warming at the same time, his words laced with the hints of a deeper desire –the faint flicker of hope.

"_I know that people see me only as a weapon, a monster to get rid of. I've seen myself as such for years up to now… but I realized I had followed the wrong path… one I did not earn with hard work, but instead with the easy way out,"_ Gaara's eyes were lost in the oranges and in the reds of the sun withdrawing from the sky, but he'd looked untouchable, precious, and Kankurou had just stared at him, amazed.

"_If I create my own path, with my own hard work… ma__ybe one day I will be like…"_ Gaara had shaken his head with a small smirk, his words meant for himself and not for his older brother. His tone turned strong again. _"I will be Kazekage, to form a bond with this village, to protect it… to show everyone who I am so as to finally be respected. Uzumaki Naruto taught me this much"._

Then Gaara had turned to look at him, his green eyes burning just as fiercely as the sun.

"_I grew up to hate and despise bonds with people, so much that I could only kill because of that. People annoyed me because no one could understand. But he… he does. He suffered the same pain as me, and questio__ned my stability and my beliefs"._

Kankurou couldn't speak; such words, coming from Gaara, had touched him deeply. He too had been rejecting Gaara for something that was not his fault. He'd always feared his brother, never trying to _understand_.

But there Gaara was, forgiving him. Forgiving him for his coldness, his fears and his well–hidden hatred. When indeed, Kankurou knew, his brother had all rights to turn his back to Suna and let it all go to waste.

"_Hatred, sadness, even happiness… to be able to share such emotions and feelings, that is a bond, that is what I lacked and what he taught me… and now I wish t__o understand it all even better"._

And after he'd stated this, with a convinced voice, Gaara had done it.

At the memory, Kankurou could still feel his chest grow tight.

Gaara had smiled.

Not a smirk, nor an evil grin that spoke of pain and insanity.

It had been a small, gentle smile. A smile of longing and determination.

"_I want to be needed by someone, not as a weapon… but as the proud Kazekage of Sand"__._

Such had been Gaara's words, and true to his vow, the next day he'd claimed the role of Kazekage; Kankurou had never respected his little brother more before then.

Turning to look at the village below his feet, he saw many shinobi with their heads lifted upwards, staring at the battle with wide eyes. Their following words made him smirk proudly.

"Do your best, Kazekage–sama!"

'_Yeah,'_ he thought. _'Do your best, little brother'._

–**End Flashback–**

Unfortunately, the Akatsuki bastard had been far too smart.

He had caused Gaara to drain up all his chakra in an attempt to protect the village from a bomb. The effort had caused him to lose control of his sand, and in order to keep Suna safe from the wall of sand above them, he had lost what little energy had been left.

Then, the Akatsuki had attacked Gaara, hitting him right on with a small explosion, and had caught him. Kankurou hadn't been aware of the details, but that was what he'd seen with his own eyes.

Kankurou was furious –no one could harm his family and get away with it.

The bird flew on the other side of the wall surrounding Suna, and Kankurou recognised its movements –it was preparing to land.

The sight that met him as he made his way through the passage was nothing like he had been expecting; the corpses of the dead shinobi were still on the ground, surrounded by dried blood. The attack had been too fast, and no ANBU had been dispatched to bury the bodies yet.

Everyone was dead.

It was a sight that made his stomach twist painfully, but the teen ignored the feeling and continued running, determined in catching up with Gaara's capturers.

His eyes set on his prey, he stopped and cried out, attracting the attention of the two figures that were walking away slowly.

A part of him wondered just how self–confident the Akatsuki members could be, acting as if they didn't expect retaliation for having attacked and kidnapped Suna's Kage.

Both men suddenly stilled.

The one who was crouched on the sand turned towards him without speaking, and Kankurou felt his blood run cold; he could clearly sense the strength and power the figure was emanating, and it was somewhat familiar in feeling.

He'd been warned to not attack, because he wasn't strong enough to take the two of them, but he couldn't _stop_.

Gaara's life was at stake, and he was not going to lose him.

"Give Gaara back!" he yelled out, his voice bolder than what he felt inside.

Deidara, who had gotten off his bird and was rather pissed off as he realised that maybe he needed to have both arms on to function properly (wondering if he could have Kakuzu reattach it later on), shifted and muttering profanities under his breath, glared at the intruder.

He wanted to head back to their hideout as soon as possible.

He had wasted one of his favourite art pieces to take Gaara with him, and even though he had achieved his goal, the loss was still mourned. No one really had appreciated his invention number 18, after all, and he was so proud of it…

Nobody could ever mould such a high level chakra into the exploding clay like he did, after all.

He had every right to be proud, and thus, also every right to be pissed off at the waste.

After all, Sasori had been right, and it didn't bode well with Deidara, not at all; Gaara had been stronger than he had anticipated, his arm hurt, and that was why his good mood had quickly disappeared.

He didn't need strange guys with paint on their faces to come and demand the Jinchuuriki back.

It wasn't nice _at all_.

Sasori sensed his annoyance and decided to let him go. It would do the straw haired shinobi no good to start complaining now –Sasori had no patience to share.

"Deidara, go ahead…" he mentally rolled his eyes at his partner.

The other cocked his head, but then nodded and muttering a low "Yes, Sasori–danna," he jumped on his bird once again, the body of the Ichibi still clutched in its tail.

Kankurou's eyes narrowed in anger. He could not let them go.

Swiftly, he lifted his hands and took out all three scrolls he had in the holder on his back, placing them on the ground with a quick move and rolling them open in front of him, dropping a droplet of blood on each.

The first scroll had the kanji for _karasu_ (crow) written on it, the one in the middle had _sanshouuo_ (salamander), and the last one had _kuroari_ (black ant).

Under the perplexed stare of a pissed off Deidara and the blank one of Sasori, Kankurou clapped his hands together and released the seals on the scrolls; when the smoke cleared from around him, the sight was impressive.

Around Kankurou there were three giant puppets, connected with his hands by shiny threads, so thin they resembled a spider's web, but a thousand times more resistant; the three puppets were covered by black robes made of the same fabric of Kankurou's clothes, and the wood clacked loudly as their master prepared himself for the fight.

The first puppet had a somewhat human shape with four arms, and obviously was Kankurou's favourite, the one he'd owned ever since his starting days as a puppeteer; the second and the third were animal–shaped, one was a giant salamander with its tail slashing through the air, and the other was an ant.

All of them were definitely imposing, and just as dangerous as they looked.

Sasori's eyes seemed to narrow as he observed the technique of his opponent. _'A puppet jutsu?'_

"I won't let you go unscathed!" Kankurou readied himself and moved his hand, fingers dancing to control his puppet as Karasu flew towards the two Akatsuki.

In the blink of an eye, not giving him the chance to speak further, Karasu's attack was all of sudden stopped in midair; Kankurou's eyes widened in shock when, from underneath the black outfit of his enemy, a long tail appeared, catching his puppet in midair and thus nullifying his offensive.

"What the…" he mouthed in shock.

Not only had one of his attacks been avoided so easily, but the tail… the tail looked like it was made of the same material as his puppets –wood.

What did it mean? Kankurou felt his blood run cold.

Sasori did not move, except for the tail coming out of his outfit, that slashed in the air, almost as if warning him to stay away.

"I don't like to let people wait, nor do I like to wait myself. I'll make this fast, and end this without further delay" he murmured.

Then, he attacked.

…–…–…–…

Naruto could feel it in his bones.

The feeling had grown in the last few days more than it had before, and the sensation persisted, filling him with dread.

He was bored. Again. And pissed off, and he didn't like the quiet, nor the fact that he was still trapped.

He had been reflecting a lot lately, about the time he'd spent wasting himself out in the Akatsuki's hideout, alone if not for Itachi's presence.

He couldn't help but wonder for how long he would have to stay in there, waiting. It had been over a month for sure, but time had no meaning when you were sealed in a dark underground, without no strength and no distractions around.

The worst was that he had somewhat adapted to this life, even growing accustomed to Itachi's almost constant presence; that didn't mean he would prefer to stay there if given a chance out, of course.

He _really_ wanted out.

By every small movement Itachi made, Naruto had slowly started to understand its meaning. Every gesture had become so familiar to his eyes that he could detect small changes even by the way the man moved or the way his footsteps echoed in the dark.

By the way he walked towards his room, Naruto would be able to tell whether Itachi was going to stay longer or not, if he was in a hurry or if he was simply taking his time.

The way Itachi's neck tensed when Naruto moved on his futon would tell Naruto if the Uchiha felt desire or was simply looking at him.

His crimson eyes (more often than not, it would be charcoal, though… Itachi was careful to keep his eyes resting as much as he could as of late) followed him around, but Naruto could tell when they were focused on his movements and when they were simply following him out of habit.

The way his fingers twitched whenever Naruto asked questions, if one was unwanted or if one was simply stupid, and how his shoulders would relax when Naruto spoke of unimportant things instead.

Naruto had been quick to admit that, unless he was fooling himself out of insanity, those emotionless eyes were not as emotionless as he'd first thought.

He'd never been one to read people like a book, even if he could pick up details others couldn't, but now the more he met Itachi's stare, the more he could see something flicker inside his eyes.

Of course, part of him was crying bloody murder at him, because he should not try to understand his enemy, not this way, since it could be dangerous (Naruto had the tendency to be too forgiving and selfless with people, even enemies, but he wasn't aware of that trait).

But another part of him begged him to just follow his heart. This was something he needed to do, he could feel it. He could not refuse that.

As he slowly stretched around, massaging his muscles like he had been doing for the last few days, if he was missing something important.

Itachi was a genius, that much he knew, and he'd always been thinking of him as such, but despite his resolve to look 'underneath the underneath' to understand why (_why the hatred, why his acting, why the coldness…_), he was still considering Itachi as nothing but a murderer.

Itachi _was_ a murderer, of course…

But weren't all shinobi murderers, in the end? It was the life they had chosen for themselves. Itachi had done something wrong, by all standards, but… not entirely unforgivable, right?

Gaara had killed so many people, and probably would continue to do so because he was used to it; it was the way he grew up. But Naruto had made friends with him, and even if now Gaara was the Kazekage and was walking down his own path, without killing for fun, he could not change his past.

Naruto could understand Gaara, and he hadn't allowed the fact that Gaara had killed to come between the two of them.

Maybe Itachi was just like Gaara… maybe he could… change perspective…?

If he had to be completely truthful with himself, not counting his fellow rookie nine, all the shinobi he knew were actually killers. They killed people so as to not be killed in their place.

It was a known fact that the strongest ninja wins.

So why did some people have the rights to kill, and others did not? Naruto didn't want to end a person's life. He had reassured himself that in the offhanded chance it happened to him, he would manage to kill someone to protect his precious people… but would he really be able to do it?

Hold such a weight on his back?

There were rules that couldn't be broken, but weren't some of them wrong? At least Naruto thought so. An ANBU could kill any missing–nin, even if the man had left the life of a shinobi to settle down with a family.

The village demanded justice, but it was the village's justice, not one that could apply to everybody.

But if the nuke–nin had given up their lives to settle down, had friends, families, people to hold close… wasn't it just right to pardon them instead of using them or killing them?

Wasn't there another choice to apply, instead of condemning them?

Some people could never get away, no matter how far they could run. Naruto had seen this in the few reports he'd read whenever he was dropped into the Hokage's office, or even through his travels with Jiraiya.

A shinobi's life had different rules, different examples, different lives.

No one would listen to the reasons of a murderer, if he killed outside of the rules. Even if he had his beliefs, even if he had his path to walk down. One had to make their own rules in order to survive, but only the strongest had a chance to let others see their side of the truth.

The blond sighed as he moved his arms slowly upwards, testing his muscles' reactions.

He didn't want to be like everyone else. He wanted to be able to understand, and not be stopped by what others thought.

He wanted to see further than those whose eyes could only see what they wanted to. He himself was a victim of this, since everyone but his close friends saw him as the demon. He was no good but for the Kyuubi, and he wanted to show everyone that he and the demon were different beings.

How could he ask to be seen as a person, if he couldn't see others as more than what they looked like? Wasn't this called hypocrisy?

Naruto's resolve steeled even more.

He wanted to understand. He wanted to _understand_ Itachi, and he was going to succeed.

Naruto bit his lip and closed his eyes; there was something he could not put his finger on… he was missing something. With Itachi, it always looked like he was missing something.

A set of footsteps stopped his train of thoughts as well as his stretching –by the sound of Itachi's footsteps echoing in the silence, he felt a change in the man's usual pace. What could have put the Uchiha in such a bad mood?

That was quite amusing on his part, Naruto had to admit it. Be able to recognize Itachi's mood from the way he walked… not that he would need such knowledge, since it couldn't be applied to any other person but Itachi… and yet…

'_Maybe I need a hobby,'_ Naruto pondered amusedly. _'One that doesn't include obsessing over one Uchiha… or the other…'_

Itachi appeared in the room without a single glance towards the blond teen, and Naruto decided that it would be pointless to stop stretching simply because the older man was there; Itachi's posture was stiff, and the blond knew that someone had pissed him off, but it was better to continue as if nothing was wrong.

Trying to ignore the Uchiha's (_distracting_) presence, Naruto pictured in his mind the basic Taijutsu exercises. He could not use his chakra, and Taijutsu would at least let him know if his body was back to full health or not.

He was not Lee, who was a genius in martial arts, but during his travels with Jiraiya he had gotten way better with it, and even his Ninjutsu was way above average. The only thing he still had trouble with was Genjutsu.

Soon enough, Naruto cleared his mind (as much as he was able to, considered the situation) and started practicing, feeling relieved to see the proof that his wounds had healed on his body as he moved.

He was not rusty, even though he hadn't been able to practice properly while caged by Akatsuki, and that was a relief.

Taijutsu helped him calm down and concentrate, allowing him to forget about the wards on his body, and Naruto's whole body relaxed as he did all the stances he remembered, assessing what he could and what he still couldn't do.

While he practiced, he could feel Itachi's attention shift back to him. the stare almost unnerved him, but his focus on the Taijutsu katas helped him greatly in ignoring him.

Still, the need to ask that question slithered through his body, making him almost falter in one of his stances, and Naruto corrected it hastily after a second, grunting in dissatisfaction.

The need to ask was growing again.

That something he wanted to ask… he couldn't do it now, because the dark aura of the Uchiha was still overpowering, and Naruto needed to do something else, not just concentrate on Itachi.

And again, he was not sure how long he would stay imprisoned within the Akatsuki headquarters, and with the growing feeling that something was going to happen, it would be better to continue his training instead.

Restraining himself, Naruto dared a glance at the older man, refusing to meet his eyes anyway.

The position, the aura, those eyes… all of sudden, Naruto was thrown back into the darkened rooms of the Uchiha compound, with the oppressing, almost deathly silence all around him, the choking feeling of old and death and–

He stopped his training and straightened his back. There was no way he could continue now, his concentration was broken.

Glaring at the older man, deciding it was all his fault, Naruto turned around, openly staring at him.

He stared, and his eyes narrowed as he took in all the man was –from his Akatsuki outfit to his tense muscles to his open, dark and inexpressive eyes.

He didn't want this Itachi. He wanted to see past that, to the man behind the mask, the man that Itachi had been before, the kid in the photo, and even before that…

The Itachi who had been standing close to his parents and yet so far away, and the Itachi who had smiled at Sasuke. The Itachi who had caused the massacre when he'd been thirteen, the Itachi who had allowed some emotion in while now he blocked them all out.

For a moment, Naruto's eyes could see both of them, standing together –one within the confines of his own mind, the other in front of him; there was something missing, the one Itachi that could be standing between the other two.

The real Itachi, the one who was not that smiling mask of the past but who was not the cold murderer either.

What had happened to Itachi? How could someone kill his entire family one night, especially since he was young (_younger than Naruto was now_).

Or maybe that was not the real question. Maybe the real question was another.

And the words were out of his lips without him even noticing.

He was still staring at Itachi, and then–

"Why the hatred?"

The words were out of his mouth all of sudden, and echoed in the silence, heavy and filled with wonder.

The silence was all of sudden so thick Naruto swallowed in surprise, feeling the aura around Itachi clutch at his neck, choking him.

Then Itachi turned around in a flash to glare at him, eyes wide and swirling with crimson, shoulders stiffening, body incredibly tense and… and Naruto did not look away.

He felt a cold shiver run down his back; even though his question could have seemed out of the blue and totally nonsensical, he knew Itachi understood the real meaning of it.

It was as if Itachi was thinking about that all the time, too. Or maybe Naruto's tone had said it all.

It felt as if he'd stepped into a mine field, territory where he shouldn't have moved into; he could not read Itachi's stare, and that _scared_ him. Itachi was dangerous, and not only because he was a strong shinobi.

In a blink of an eye, Naruto found himself pinned against the nearest wall, one of Itachi's hands curled around his throat, crimson, bloody eyes fixed onto his own.

He was completely and utterly helpless.

He knew the raven haired shinobi could kill him with just a mere twitch of his fingers, and the shiver that went through his frame was not one of excitement, but one of sheer, utter fear.

Yet, something inside him told him that he would not die there. He felt daring, and part of his boldness was coming back to him (something that Jiraiya familiarly called _'desire to get killed in a very painful way'_).

Itachi was not moving. He was simply staring at him. not speaking not shifting, just… staring.

His eyes were wells of black and bloody red.

Naruto's hands moved slowly upwards, eyes still meeting evenly with Itachi's ones, and without even caring about what he was doing, his fingers curled around Itachi's hair sash and pulled it away.

Once again let loose, Itachi's hair fell like a cascade around his face, and it was with clear satisfaction that Naruto admired the sight, feeling that this Itachi he was seeing was at least partially different from the Itachi the rest of the world saw.

"What's under that mask?" he asked then, in a low and calm voice (_no louder than a soft, shaky breath_). He didn't feel as brave as he sounded, though.

Itachi sharply let go of his neck, backing away from Naruto as if scalded at the contact with his skin, and his eyes narrowed into a weird look that Naruto, for all he tried, could not read.

It was –Naruto gasped out in shock, hastily looking away, unable to keep the eye contact.

His eyes were too powerful, too burning, too…

The sound of Itachi's steps leaving the room had Naruto turn around in shock. Itachi was more than just walking away –he was running away.

Leaving a distressed Naruto behind, staring at his retreating back, Itachi was running away.

'_W–what was that about?'_

…–…–…–…

Tsunade's eyes were grave and serious as she stared down at the message Shizune had given her.

Although part of her was still mourning over Naruto's loss, almost three months had gone by, and she had to slowly get back to her work.

So, instead of running away for the second time, she remained seated in the Hokage room, stance as proud as before, eyes as fierce and penetrating as before, determination holding her still.

If not for the bet she'd made with Naruto back then, about her becoming the Hokage, the blonde would have retreated and allowed someone else to rule over Konoha, as she could not seem to make herself care; but she would keep her promise, and protect the village Naruto loved with all her heart.

"So they are finally moving," she whispered, eyes betraying bitterness before turning stony once again. "Shizune, call in Team Gai and Kakashi, they will have to do for this mission".

Shizune frowned but nodded, running out of the office to find all the requested people; she could understand why Tsunade would want Team Gai, since they knew the territory around Suna, but for Kakashi, that was a first.

Though, she had to admit that his actions during the last few months had been anything but normal for him. he had asked to join the ANBU troops again, and the news had bothered Iruka a lot.

Kakashi had grown colder towards his lover, and although both Iruka and anybody who knew Kakashi could understand why that was, the fact remained that the silver haired man was distancing himself from all the people he held dear.

Shizune sighed. Kakashi was a broken man, just in a different way than Tsunade was.

Things would be hard to patch up, but they had to try and move on. Who would have guessed that Naruto would stick so much in everyone's minds?

Maybe they just needed some more time… just a little bit more.

…–…–…–…

The gates of Konoha opened once more.

The wind greeted the five figures as they passed through the protective wall that surrounded Konohagakure; against the mild brown of the wood, the red 'A' and 'N' painted on the gates looked like blood, a warning for those who entered the village.

That place was both a start and a conclusion, opening and closing at the same time. In a way, secretly fleeting thought passing right through everybody's mind, that was also a hope that, with this mission, there could be an acceptance for what couldn't be changed.

Kakashi stood still next to Gai, his only visible eye slightly dulled over as he stared far into the distance, preparing himself with a deep sigh for the new mission he had to accomplish; at his sides Neji, Lee, and TenTen also stood in determination, watching their sensei stretch in front of them.

Gai knew this was his only chance to help Kakashi out of his self–imposed misery, and he was determined to work his best to aid him in his recovering.

"Come on, my rival! We have to go help our allies of Sunagakure!" he stated, allowing his voice to tinge with enthusiasm.

Kakashi didn't even look at him as he sprinted forwards.

Gai followed with a soft sigh, and soon enough the other three started moving as well.

Seconds later, the group was gone from sight.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** I've edited a lot till now, we could say rewrite. Certain things had to be changed to fit with the newest developments without completely editing the plot as it is…

Next chapter, some good action. Until then!

Review?


	18. Relief

**Edited:** 17/05/2011

**Thank you, my sweet reviewers!**

**StarsOfYaoi****:** so, another update. I am aware that last part had a lot of manga–canon, but it was needed, so please forgive me about it ^^ I didn't realise it would take so much for Naruto to get free, but it's getting there. Enjoy!

Note for you. I think I will start to add something on Itachi from now on, flickering thoughts and similar things… because from now on, he gets a bigger part in this story.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 18****: Relief**

"_What's under that mask?" he asked then, in a low and calm voice (no louder than a soft, shaky breath). He didn't feel as brave as he sounded, though._

_Itachi sharply let go of his neck, backing away from Naruto as if scalded at the contact with his skin, and his eyes narrowed into a weird look that Naruto, for all he tried, could not read._

_It was –Naruto gasped out in shock, hastily looking away, unable to keep the eye contact._

_His eyes were too powerful, too burning, too…_

_The sound of Itachi's steps leaving the room had Naruto turn around in shock. Itachi was more than just walking away –he was running away._

_Leaving a distressed Naruto behind, staring at his retreating back, Itachi was running away._

'_W–what was that about?'_

…–…

Naruto let his eyes wander around in the room, subconsciously looking for something that he himself was not aware of.

His last meeting with Itachi had left him filled with a foreboding sensation that he could not shake off, and the chills running through his body really were disconcerting.

Now that the Uchiha was not around, the silence was much more noticeable –Naruto wasn't keen to talking with himself loudly, after all, and it was different when he directed his speeches towards someone, no matter if that person wasn't answering back.

Every noise felt like it was amplified in the empty room, and if he walked away, the echo of his footsteps was even more unsettling.

He didn't like it at all.

And of course, his mind reeled with unanswered questions and worry.

If he had to think about his last 'confrontation' with the older Uchiha, Naruto had to admit that he felt both satisfied –if only for a second, he had looked into crimson eyes without fear– and… bitter.

He didn't know why he should feel bitter in the first place, but there it was, and he could not stop feeling like that, either.

Alone with his thoughts again, this time without even Itachi to come by to help him pass some time, Naruto truly felt the weight of being a secluded prisoner fall upon his shoulders. All of sudden, the walls of the hideout felt too close, and he had the horrible feeling they were choking him, almost as if wanting to suffocate him.

He felt claustrophobic, unsettled.

Naruto tried to think about other things –his village, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Sakura… but his thoughts returned invariably on the Uchiha instead, and then about the way he'd left the room, and then he'd feel the walls close upon him once again.

Why had he blurted out that question? The words had left his lips without his accord, and then it was too late to take them back… and he _hadn't_ wanted to. Something had been broken –something Naruto realised should have not been broken…

And yet, with his quiet whisper, Naruto was sure he'd done something he was supposed to. He'd wanted to know, deep down, but he would have never wanted to ask in such a way, if possible.

Something had changed. By accepting he needed to modify the way he looked at things in order to understand Itachi, Naruto felt he'd somehow infringed a rule that wasn't meant to be broken. That didn't help him with his uncomfortable feeling.

His muscles twitched, shaking him out of his reverie, and the blond let out a sigh. Echoing in the empty space around him, the sigh was amplified before it turned into nothingness.

After their little 'confrontation', Itachi had not returned.

Naruto was aware that time had passed, more than the normal amount, since the last time the Uchiha had been in the undergrounds; so much time that Naruto had fallen asleep and then had woken up again, and more time had passed…

Surely more than a day had gone by.

He idly wondered if he hadn't somehow managed the feat of unnerving the stoic shinobi to the point where he wouldn't want to come back… ever.

He supposed that should be a relief, and yet, of course, it wasn't. the guy was the sole living person that still visited him, after all… and he wasn't half as bad to look at, either.

Naruto had to inwardly snort at his thoughts.

He was rather amused by how normal it felt to ponder over such things. The situation was far from normal, yes, but for Naruto it wasn't hard to go with the flow. Besides, lying to himself would be kind of pitiful.

The fact was, the more Naruto stretched and worked out, the more strength his body gained back. He was slowly becoming more aware of his surroundings, and finally he was able to almost discern time passing by.

The thought was a relief, really.

His body was strong enough to walk for a long time without him getting out of breath, and his muscles didn't ache as he worked through his kata anymore. A definite improvement from the first few weeks.

Although he had frequently thought about how to escape from the Akatsuki's clutches, Naruto had not allowed himself to linger too much on these thoughts, afraid that if he tried too soon, he would be restricted movement again, losing his last chance, but now that his body didn't feel like it would betray him at every step, Naruto was more than willing to try and get out.

The fact that Itachi wasn't around or about to arrive at any minute was also good, since it meant he had a lot of time to try more than one alternative.

His chance was here.

Unfortunately, Naruto was also edgy. Was Itachi not coming anymore because of Naruto's words, or was it something else? Itachi had never faltered in coming, not even once during the whole time Naruto had been in the Akatsuki lair… and now… it was just too convenient.

Someone like Itachi couldn't be unsettled by mere words, not even if he had been surprised by them so much that he had to storm out like that.

It wasn't normal. It wasn't like the Uchiha Naruto had learned to know.

Why wasn't he coming back?

Something else was happening, and Itachi was needed somewhere else.

Trying to recall if something had been different, during their last meeting, Naruto was suddenly reminded of the weird echo of Itachi's footsteps, that had made Naruto aware of his already worsening mood.

Yes, Naruto was sure of it –something was happening outside of this lair–prison.

Something _big_.

What could keep Itachi away for so long, since, up to now, Naruto was his only mission? Was Akatsuki's hideout under attack?

No, that was not it…

Quickly pushing out any stray thought, Naruto concentrated on his surroundings, closing his eyes and placing both fists on his temples.

Even with the wards, he could still somewhat feel chakra surges, albeit distorted by distance and by the seals on his body, and that was what he was searching for.

He couldn't feel any chakra anywhere. He let his senses spread further around, fighting against the thin layer that prevented him from using his own energy, and concentrated on listening for any kind of normal noise. He'd grown used to the humming undertones of the remaining eight members of Akatsuki around, some of them disappearing for short periods of time, and then coming back…

Even without his own chakra, Jiraiya had taught him to recognise and file away foreign chakra. He had worked hard to learn to read signatures for enemy shinobi coming onto him, and that was finally growing to be useful.

He concentrated and concentrated, stretching all his senses to their limits…

Nothing.

Not even a light flicker of power from the lair around him.

They hadn't bothered to hide their chakra before, since the hideouts were probably surrounded by a protective jutsu of some sort… so what?

It meant they weren't around. None of them.

His heart skipped a beat.

Nobody was in the hideout.

_All nine members were not here._

Naruto's eyes widened.

Suddenly, flashes of a dark, vast place (_a white, blinding light followed by shadows and darkness and pain_, _so much pain…_) and nine forms gathered around him, forced their way into his brain.

The only moment he had seen them all together was the extraction. He had senses the hostility between the members of the organization right away, barely suppressed and hidden. There was no trust nor acknowledgement between them…

An extraction.

Cold seeped through his frame, clenching around his heart and mind as the only possible result of this absence appeared as clear as crystal in his head, together with a familiar face with red hair and a crimson kanji ('_ai', "because I only love myself"_) carved into a pale forehead.

During the time he'd been in Akatsuki's hands, Naruto had never thought they would try to get Gaara; he had somewhat expected that since they could not get Kyuubi, they would then either concentrate on him fully, or just give up on whatever plan they were trying to accomplish.

It had been a childish hope, and he could see that now.

Akatsuki wanted to take Gaara's demon, and then they would have all the time in the world to work on Naruto's. They would not stop until they achieved their goal…

Blue eyes turned into slits, fiery anger burning inside them, swallowing every other emotion until he couldn't even distinguish his surroundings anymore. The blond tightened his fists, trembling with fury.

Why Gaara?

Of all the people he knew, Gaara had been the one that was hurt the most; rejected without anyone to hold onto, seeing only turned backs, no smiles, nothing but fear, the red head grew up alone and drowning in the darkness that once had threatened Naruto too.

But Naruto had found friends.

Iruka–sensei at first, and Sandaime, and then Kakashi–sensei, Sakura, Sasuke (_the name came with a twinge, as it was a word and words can hurt and bring flashes of painful memories_) and all the others…

But Gaara had no one.

Used, hated, hurt.

Why had everything turned positive for Naruto, but never for Gaara?

Why did he have to be the one hurt in the end?

Tears of rage and guilt appeared in the corners of narrowed eyes (_'unfair'_). After everything Gaara had done to change (_'wrong'_), after his never ending pain (_'why?'_)… still, Gaara had to suffer.

Naruto remembered the pain.

The extraction had been excruciatingly long, and he'd felt as if huge claws were ripping him in shreds over and over again, blood leaving his body with his life, sanity slipping out of reach through clouded thoughts and uncertainty.

He didn't want Gaara to go through all of this.

Not that kind of pain. Not Gaara.

Gaara was his friend, and Naruto did not let his friends be in pain.

**He had to leave.**

He didn't know how to escape, or where to go, or where they were doing it (_refusing to state the name of the ritual as a jinx favouring the negative outcome_) but Naruto knew he could not allow himself another minute of laziness.

He'd been waiting for an opportunity, and here he had it. No Itachi. No Akatsuki.

Gaara needed him, _**now**_.

Of all the things that could have pushed him, this thought did the trick. It was all that was needed.

Ocean eyes burned with sudden fierce determination, the same determination that had allowed Naruto to learn Rasengan in a week, the same that had made him fight with Sasuke at the Valley of End, the same that could make him win against everything…

He was the only one who could save Gaara now, and it was up to him.

…–…–…–…

A figure moved onwards, not caring for the warmth provided by the sun, face unreadable and emotionless as the shinobi jumped skilfully among the trees.

He was evading the ground, body stretching to reach up the higher branches, pushing himself to be faster, so silent that only a few leaves moved as he passed through.

There was no hurry in his body's movements, and yet the figure's speed continued increasing with every step and jump, a blur through the forest that could be barely seen.

The shadows of the trees around him curled around his frame, as if to protect it from the light of the sun, but even if his body was hit by a stray ray, his soul was plunged deep within a thick, heavy cloud of darkness.

There was a dark aura around him that spoke of danger and anger, and the aura spoke more of the person's emotions than his face could ever reveal –the darkness within his mind and heart was so heavy that it seemed to dim the light as it hit his body.

His body was slim and trained, pale skin clashing against the charcoal colour of his hair, making his complexion look even more contrasting; he wore a loose white old–fashioned haori tied in the middle by a violet, old rope, and a pair of black hakama.

His hands were covered with black fingerless gloves, and the fact that he was keeping them clenched, and the muscles on his back were tense, was a clear show of his inner turmoil; the kusanagi katana tied around his waist gently bounced on his back with every jump.

The forest was a beautiful sight, and yet the shinobi didn't spare a single glance to it, mind set on a single thought and nothing else, eyes bleeding crimson.

Rage. It swirled deep within his body like molten lava, burning and growing stronger the more his thoughts returned upon that single fact, and he could barely keep it at bay.

The huge amount of chakra flaring and burning all over his skin was stunningly fierce, heavy and thick and concentrated with rage and hatred that was mirrored in his eyes, and he could barely control the waves of rotten energy coming from the three–tomoe tattoo on his neck.

He could feel dark dots threaten to expand from the curse on his skin, but he refused to allow them, and they retreated, only to advance a second later, slithering up his neck before his steely determination kicked them back again.

There was no way he would allow the curse to take control of him again.

On the back of his white haori (_white for pure, white for death, its real meaning lost within the blink of a Sharingan eye_), standing clearly against the candid colour, there was a simple symbol.

The symbol wasn't one of Otogakure, there was no sign that identified the shinobi as belonging to the Sound village –no small note, nothing… there was no allegiance to that place, not even if he had lived there for over two and a half years.

The symbol on his back was something else –it was that of the clan of the Uchiha.

One fist lifted up as the blur moved onwards, fingers unclenching to rub the spot where his curse mark was glowing, and Sasuke idly noted, with a remote, small part of his brain, that the burning of the mark signalled the anger of the one who had put it on there.

Yet, he did not care. If Orochimaru was angry, if he was furious that he'd taken off without warning, _without asking him for permission_… that did not matter.

Sasuke did not care in the least.

There was only rage, and a single thought controlling his whole brain.

As a desert appeared in front of him, the trees parting to let him see an unending sea of sand that covered the world, Sasuke continued moving.

He had somewhere to be, and he would not stop.

Not even if Orochimaru or the Devil itself were to come chase him.

…–…–…–…

It was different.

The feeling was unnerving, strange and absurd, and Itachi wanted to ignore it –he wanted to refuse to accept its existence…

And yet he couldn't. Its presence was far too obvious.

Itachi didn't like it. At all.

His mind was wavering, so he concentrated his attention back on the jutsu he was performing, focusing once again on his chakra being pulled out from his body and into the giant _being_, mixing with the chakra of his companions around him.

This was the ninth time they were performing that jutsu –one for each Jinchuuriki, hidden within the darkness of a secluded cave as they sucked the last demon out from the helpless body hovering in the middle.

Nothing had changed, really –the motions were the same as before, the handseals were the same, the pull on his chakra was familiar as the _being_ sucked it out from him…

And yet, to Itachi this extraction was different altogether.

The vessel down there had red hair and pale complexion, and had lost consciousness at one point, minutes before, after having resisted for almost twenty–eight hours.

Every since then, the cave had fallen into a deathly, unearthly silence, just like every other time… except one.

The extraction continued like it should, but Itachi's attention wavered once more, unable to focus on what he was doing. His hands moved on their own accord, his chakra left his body by itself, as he was familiar with the jutsu, but his mind was not into it.

Crimson eyes wandered to where the body of the Kazekage was, contemplating why he felt a strange _something_ within his chest that could be associated with unease; the extraction wasn't different from the others, nothing had changed, and soon enough Akatsuki would be in control of eight out of nine of the Bijuu…

The raven haired shinobi shifted slightly, unnerved, but his control upon his side of the jutsu was unwavering, and the closest companion to him, too busy focusing on the handseals, did not notice his slight movement.

Itachi was annoyed. There was no explanation for this feeling.

_It was different._

Focusing once again on the jutsu, forcing his mind to follow the waves of chakra and the waves coming from the unconscious Jinchuuriki on the ground, Itachi grunted as a single image disrupted his attention again.

The Kyuubi's vessel face –blue eyes, blond hair, whisker marks on his cheeks– and it was so real that for a moment, Itachi felt as if he was not standing in the middle of the dark cave, extracting a demon from the redheaded Kazekage, but somewhere else.

Flashing crimson, Itachi's Sharingan flared alive, and he had to quickly submit the waves of chakra pooling from it, not wanting to compromise the jutsu.

Without meaning to, Itachi recalled the questions Naruto had continued asking, clearly nonplussed by the older man's silence.

He recalled the teen's tone, the way his voice intoned his questions, as if they were simple and not packed with double meanings and secrets. He recalled the defiant look of the teen as he continued questioning him.

Naruto was different.

Everything of him had been different, from the first moment he'd met him.

Itachi frowned ever so slightly, realizing it was not _this_ extraction that was different.

The unsettling feeling was caused by the fact that, indeed, the _last_ extraction had been different… and this one was not.

It bothered him.

The teen down there was not Naruto. That was what was wrong, and at the same time, Itachi did not want to see the blond down there again. That time had been different, but he did not want a repeat.

"Oi, do you think someone will come here for him?"

Itachi's crimson eyes turned into slits as his attention turned sharply towards his companion, who was sitting at his right, hands forming the _Tora_ seal. Kisame had an ugly scowl on his face, and Itachi didn't have to be a genius to read his desire to spill blood within those glassy, black eyes.

Had Itachi been any lesser man, he would have grimaced at the man's obvious preference towards spilling blood –while he had always despised the look of that liquid, unless it was…– but as it was, his face showed nothing.

"Hn," he replied stiffly, turning his attention back to the Jinchuuriki.

A part of him was unexpectedly upset at Kisame for interrupting the course of his thoughts, but at the same time, Itachi wasn't bothered by it. Why should he? He had been thinking about the blond teen, nothing important.

Someone different. Not different like Itachi was –_not at all like him_– but still different… without a place, without being settled into a predetermined position in life.

He could not understand.

Why was that person so interesting to him? Why were his blue eyes so captivating that they had set something in Itachi's chest aflame with the desire to control him?

"What colour?" he murmured, voice as cold as ice.

Confused blank eyes stared at him, "Huh? What was that, Itachi–san?"

The glare turned towards the shark–face, who gulped and quickly averted his gaze, feeling the dangerous intent hidden in the raven's humming chakra and deciding not to inquire any further.

Itachi's thoughts returned sharply to the words Naruto had uttered to him at last.

"_Why the hatred?"_

Hatred. How could that kid know? Before that point, no one had ever realised the reason Itachi had killed his family.

To the Akatsuki, he was an emotionless killer, and they were right –he was.

The only emotion he had ever felt that he could recognise was hatred.

Even than man… that man who knew the most about him, the man who'd been there to see the hatred unfold, had not known the true extent of what had moved Itachi. He had thought he could use him, he had thought he could…

That was in the past.

Lost and forgotten. He'd moved on.

"_What's under the mask?"_

Unexpected and unwanted. A question that shouldn't have been asked, a question that shouldn't have existed.

What would that kid have to gain in questioning his past? Of all people who had looked at him, why could someone like the blond Jinchuuriki come and ask that…?

His chakra flickered dangerously, blood eyes narrowing even more. He could not understand.

Itachi did not like being unable to understand something.

…–…–…–…

Naruto was slammed against the opposite wall with enough strength to break a rib while the chakra energy that had arisen against him settled down again, fizzling and shimmering with a blue light before apparently disappearing.

Naruto coughed up a bit, falling on the ground with a snarl. Fortunately, the hit didn't do any damage, and he stood back up again, huffing in anger.

Well, ok, maybe trying to slam full force against the protective kekkai the Akatsuki had placed around the undergrounds of the hideout hadn't been a good idea.

Naruto glanced around, observing the corridor with narrowed eyes. At the end of the corridor he could see a flight of stairs disappearing behind the corner, but if Naruto tried to move towards the stairs, the barrier would come into action, and stop him.

He stretched one arm, feeling something against the tip of his fingers. Pushing didn't help, it felt like a rebound, almost ready to push him back if he tried to use more strength.

He had been observing the kekkai ever since he'd discovered it, and he had started testing it whenever Itachi was not around, but now that he was trying with all his strength, he had to admit there was no way he could get out –at least not without his chakra.

Though, even with his chakra, he had no idea how to dispel that kind of barrier.

Once again, Naruto wished Jiraiya had taught him more about barriers and how to get them down, but unfortunately, the man had decided that Naruto wasn't ready to learn about it, and had preferred to drop him off to focus on his chakra exercises instead, while the pervert moved off to stalk some unsuspecting woman at the local onsen.

Gaara's face appeared in his mind again, and Naruto gritted his teeth in rage. There he was, weeping like a little child while one of his friends was going through the extraction…

He needed to get out from here; who knew how much time was left before the extraction was completed?

And… he didn't even know where to go once he was out (_there was no __**if**__ in his mind, only a __**when**_).

Moving towards the invisible barrier once again, Naruto let his fingers brush against it, causing a sparkle of electricity to appear in midair, circling his wrist, tickling his skin unpleasantly.

'_How can I get out from here? I need my chakra, but…'_ blue eyes narrowed, glaring down at himself.

The wards on his wrists and ankles were still there, looking as good as new, black ink scratched in unknown kanji to block his human chakra, whilst the jutsu on his stomach blocked out that of the demon's.

He couldn't get to the seal blocking Kyuubi off, and he didn't know what would happen if he tried to remove the wards on his ankles and wrists, either; Jiraiya had once explained him that wards reacted badly if they were removed without being deactivated first…

He was at an impasse. He needed his chakra to get out, but he could reach neither of the two he had within him because to get to one he needed the other, and to get out, he needed at least one of them…

If he didn't leave, he would not be able to get to Gaara. Everything would end, and it would be all of Naruto's fault.

He could _not_ lose another friend. Not after Sasuke. Not after promising everyone he would take the bastard back… not after promising Gaara he would always be there for him.

The light blue of Naruto's eyes suddenly turned a darker shade as he looked down at his wrists, following the contours of the wards on his skin.

The paper looked so fragile, and yet it held so much power…

Naruto lifted his right hand, and gently curled his fingers around the ward on his left wrist, testing the paper without adding pressure, eyes checking the kanji written on the ward as it 'felt' his intentions and flickered with energy.

The black ink bled into crimson, and Naruto felt an unpleasant tingle as electricity cursed through his veins –a small amount, a warning of sorts.

Taking them off would be painful.

Strangely, the thought didn't scare him. He had already felt what real pain was when the Akatsuki had tried the extraction on him, and he didn't fear it. His body had suffered through worse, he could do it…

He wasn't afraid of what could happen, either.

The only thing he was worried about was the possibility that taking the wards off would burn all his chakra away –but even that possibility was worth trying, after all.

His friends were more important than anything that could happen to him –his friends' lives were what mattered now. Gaara.

Naruto bit down on his lower lip, mentally preparing himself, and grabbed a corner of the ward between his thumb and index.

A sparkle of red and black energy coursed through his arm and he gasped loudly, feeling it prickle his skin like needles forced into his body.

Unconsciously, he bit harder on his lip, making it bleed under the pressure of his teeth as he started to carefully pull the ward away.

It didn't work. The moment the ward 'felt' the attack, the sparkles doubled their intensity and Naruto fell on the ground on his knees, hissing in pain.

He hadn't expected it to be this painful, really –white spots danced behind his close eyelids as he forced himself to continue, feeling his body grow suddenly tired and heavy.

"No!" he cried aloud, his voice overcoming the sound of the fizzling ward.

He couldn't do it like that –he had to take it off with a single pull, otherwise he wouldn't be able to resist through the waves of energy and pain.

Taking a shaky breath… Naruto screamed out loud and pulled. _Hard._

His whole frame was surrounded by electricity as the first ward came off with a sickening sound, taking away the skin covering Naruto's wrist as well, blood starting to pour out of the horrible–looking wound the moment the ward was off.

Naruto fell on the ground on all fours, clutching the bleeding arm against his chest as waves of nausea and pain hit him, red and black chakra leaking around him from the now useless paper sheet, which crumbled and incinerated itself at the blond teen's side.

Shit, the pain was absurd.

Naruto coughed and gasped for air, the shock and the pain constricting his lungs so much that he could barely breathe. It took him some long, excruciating seconds of pain before his lungs opened again, fresh air entering them with the burning intensity of a blazing fire.

'_Shit shit shit shit–'_

The pain had numbed his body, and Naruto felt as if he was moving in a daze while he reached with trembling fingers, coated in blood, for the other ward, ripping it off with the same sickening sound of broken skin.

More blood pooled at his feet, more pain, dizziness, nausea, and fizzling chakra energy, but Naruto's mind, although fogged over, remained concentrated on his task –ripping off the last two wards from his ankles.

He did so with wavering strength before collapsing fully in a pool of his own blood, his mind almost shutting down because of what he'd done, and because of the searing pain.

It was horrible, it was pain that wasn't dulling over…

But…

_He felt it._

Something was trickling through his body, slowly at first, then faster, stronger, a cooling sensation that partly eased his burning skin, as if cold water had been poured all over him; his chakra was pooling under the surface of his consciousness.

He could feel it again, gently filling his body, he could sense the chakra gently flowing through him again, like a stream, like…

It felt wonderful. As if a part of him was finally back. _Relief_.

Despite the pain, the mind–blowing throbbing of his wrists and ankles that were torn and bloody to the bone, somewhere inside him, a weight had been lifted from his chest.

Through the pain, Naruto's lips twitched upwards in happiness.

He was crying –tears mixed with the red of his blood, the thick liquid still rolling out of his gaping wounds, and he sobbed and gasped for air, feeling laughter bubbling up to his lips as his consciousness wavered.

He could feel his chakra.

It was a wonderful sensation, and for a moment, after he forced himself to tie some cloth above his ankles and wrists to stop the bleeding, he remained curled up in a tight ball on the ground, crying and clutching his bleeding wounds against his chest.

He had his chakra back.

…–…–…–…

Kakashi frowned and changed his direction in mid–jump, concentrating on the chakra that was moving in the opposite direction, towards Konohagakure.

A day had passed since the news of the Kazekage's abduction had reached the village of Konoha, and Team Gai and Kakashi were almost halfway to Suna.

The silver haired jounin frowned, feeling as if he should _know_ the chakra he was detecting, and as he landed on the grass, looking to the side, he spotted a mop of blond hair slowly walking down the main road that lead to the village.

He recognised the teen the moment he saw her, since she was one of the Chuunin examiners chosen for the upcoming exams, and had been largely known for her bossy attitude.

Kakashi's mind ticked –Sabaku no Temari, the Kazekage's older sister.

"Oi Temari–san!" Lee jumped forwards, landing in front of the walking blonde and flashing her a smile; he was on speaking terms with her even though they had met only a couple of times, as he'd been the one to tell Gaara the news about Naruto, and since then, Temari had admitted to respect the teen for his bravery –no matter how much he hurt her eyes with his style of clothing.

Shikamaru let out a soft groan and lifted one hand in a lame greeting; he had been placed as an examiner with Temari for the Chuunin exams, which meant he had been meeting with her for a while already.

Although he respected her intelligence and strength, Shikamaru didn't quite like the woman, either –whenever he was in her presence, he felt stripped down of his male status, and he had to say goodbye to his pride, too.

Temari didn't make a secret of how she loved to make fun of him and tease him and boss him around, and the main source of her fun was also the lazy teen's relationship with the Hyuuga prodigy.

All in all, Temari loved the weeks spent in Konoha.

"Shikamaru–kun, Neji–kun, Lee–san, Gai–san, Kakashi–san," she greeted them, her eyebrow twitching at the sight of two green–spandex wearing shinobi.

Kakashi noticed she didn't seem worried, so he assumed that, somehow, the news of her brother's abduction hadn't reached her yet.

"Temari, where were you yesterday?" Shikamaru made his way towards the blond, having reached the same conclusion Kakashi had but wanting to make sure.

"I left Suna two days ago to come here for the upcoming Chuunin exams, why?" Temari looked at him, sensing something was wrong.

Shikamaru opened his mouth to reply in a way that would not shock the girl, but Lee spoke before he could, "Temari–kun, I am sorry to inform you that Akatsuki captured your brother in the early hours of yesterday. We're going to Suna to track them down and possibly save your brother before it's too late".

Temari's face turned ashy as she processed Lee's words.

Gaara had been captured.

Akatsuki now had her brother as well…

Kakashi looked on as Temari's face turned fierce and determined, and secretly admired her strength. He knew she would not continue towards Konoha, so he motioned for the rest of the team to start moving again, silently acknowledging her addition to the group.

Temari merely nodded in thanks to him, and the group hurried towards Kaze no Kuni once again, whilst Lee and Shikamaru briefed her regarding the Akatsuki.

As they continued advancing, Neji allowed his body to move on its own, listening with only half an ear to the plans the rest of his team started devising. His mind was focused on something else instead –Tsunade's words echoed in his mind, pushing against the barriers he'd put up.

Akatsuki hadn't attacked Gaara before, and Neji had assumed that the organization had been still working on extracting Kyuubi from Naruto.

His faith that the blond teen was still alive had never abandoned him since his trip to Suna, but now, with Akatsuki effectively acting to get the Kazekage, doubt was finally making its way through him.

Had he been in denial until then?

Was Naruto _really_ dead?

Or worse… what if Akatsuki had extracted the demon from Naruto, and the blond had died without anyone else being there for him? The thought sent a wave of anguish through Neji, and he almost staggered in his running.

He had broken down for Naruto once already, he couldn't… he wouldn't be able to see his hopes being smashed once more like that.

And still, he was not ready to admit defeat yet. He was still strong in his belief, and until something proved him wrong, he would not cease to hope.

He just _couldn't_.

He _needed_ to believe Naruto was ok…

He had to.

…–…–…–…

When Naruto had forced his trembling arms to hold onto pieces of cloths and tissues, holding them to loosely bandage first his arms, then his legs, he had enough time to watch at the wounds.

He could feel the skin stretch now, rubbing raw against the make–do bandages, and that was a good sign that they were healing up already.

The healing rate had returned to what had been previously, which a part of his brain found rather strange –wasn't Kyuubi the one responsible for his quick healing? The demon's chakra was still sealed away from his reach, so…

Still, there was no time to think about that, for now. The blood around his body was something to worry about instead.

Just looking at his flesh had been enough to make him want to retch, and he was sure that had he been another person, he would have died for the shock and the pain of ripping his wards off, but…

Apart for that, he felt relatively fine.

The sight of the ashes on the floor –the remains of the wards– was enough to keep him focused on what he'd done and why.

He knew the chakra rushing through him again was stabilizing his healing and his normal circulation, but he also knew that so much blood loss was dangerous. He just hoped the wounds would stop bleeding soon, so his body could heal and replenish itself.

Both his legs and arms hurt like hell, but the pain was worth it –he had gained his chakra back.

He was a shinobi, and to continue living he had to make sacrifices, after all. To protect his life and that of his precious people; his skin would grow back up again, and if he could ignore the searing pain for a bit longer, the dizziness would also disappear.

It would be ok soon.

Besides, Naruto had never been known for thinking too much before acting, and the idea of trying to short-circuiting the wards with the seal on the undergrounds hadn't even popped in his head until after he was done.

Not that he believed it would have worked, so…

He quickly tightened the makeshift bandages again, feeling blood seep through them, and gritted his teeth, trying to keep himself focused. It wouldn't do to faint for blood loss, not after everything he'd done.

Worse then, he hadn't eaten ever since Itachi had left, but he had to work with what he had. No time to worry about things like these.

Tsunade would probably kill him for his carelessness and rashness, but there was no other way out, and Naruto had enough stamina and strength to survive this. He'd received worse wounds that had been healed before, and some ripped skin would not leave any scars after the healing anyway.

Wiping away the sweat from his eyes, noticing his trembling hands, Naruto tried to sit up on the ground.

He'd been curled in a ball for a long time, nursing his wounds and trying to recover enough that standing up wouldn't make him faint, but he had wasted enough time as of now. He needed to get up and _move_.

Naruto wondered if his chakra could help him, seeing as everything he'd done before was accomplished using Kyuubi's chakra alone. He wasn't particularly strong, nor was he smart, and despite everything he wasn't sure he could manage everything by himself…

'_Stop this useless self–pity!'_ he scowled at himself. He had to keep in mind that this was not about him. This was about Gaara.

His chakra was flowing inside him like a fresh current, and he found no problem in controlling it, concentrating some over his wounds just like Jiraiya had taught him (ok, he _had_ been learning something useful from the perverted hermit after all), feeling the pain subside under the cool sensation.

Thanks to the soothing balm of his chakra, he could now stand the pain. Good.

He was ready to work on the sealing.

Maybe the person who had created this jutsu was a genius, and nothing Naruto could do would ever be able to deactivate it, but… Naruto was also pretty sure the wall had never personally met with a Rasengan.

There was only one problem. Jiraiya had said that the Kyuubi's chakra had slowly trickled from the seal to join his own flow, so did that mean any jutsu he'd done before had been only thanks to the demon's aid?

Did that mean he wouldn't be able to make such a powerful jutsu like the Rasengan all on his own?

Naruto blinked.

No, he couldn't allow himself to think like this. He'd never faltered with his determination, and he had never been unsure of his own abilities before. After what had happened to him, there were many people better than him, but that didn't mean he couldn't do his best to surpass them.

He'd given his word to a lot of people, and he wouldn't get discouraged with stupid stuff, either. This was the way he'd decided to live.

Reassured with these thoughts, Naruto nodded to himself.

Closing his eyes, he blocked off the pain flaring from his limbs and stood up shakily, his knees weak and protesting against the sudden weight, but he merely steadied himself and, raising a trembling hand, Naruto concentrated on his chakra.

It felt easy to gather it in his hand following the scheme of the rotating circulation, easier than ever, and a second later he had a perfectly formed Rasengan in his hand, blue chakra pulsing steadily between his fingers, humming comfortably.

This wasn't properly new, though; Jiraiya had been good enough to teach Naruto how to do a Rasengan done without using his Kage Bunshin, and as Naruto finally got the right way to do it, the cost of chakra had been cut down to half.

What was new… well, it had never been _so_ easy to do it. The chakra ball had been formed so quickly… was it just an impression, since his chakra had been missing for so long?

The fact that he had his chakra back was exhilarating, though, and it brought forth a wave of optimism that Naruto had acutely missed in the last few months.

Naruto smirked.

"Let's get out of here! **Rasengan**!"

He charged against the invisible wall of the protection with all his energy, pushing the ball of blue chakra against the apparently empty space, meeting resistance but not backing away; the electricity twitched and fizzled against his chakra, sending sparkles everywhere, but he didn't stop.

He kept on _pushing_, closing his eyes and concentrating to give his Rasengan all the chakra he had, pressing all his weight into it as well, gritting his teeth at the pain, but not backing away.

The wall was resisting his strength, trying to shove him away, the chakra fizzling around him, but not affecting his body.

He continued.

The force coming from the seal pushed him backwards, but he gritted his teeth and refused to back down, once again bringing all his weight onto the barrier.

He had no intentions of failing.

"I'll get out of here!" he yelled.

His Rasengan exploded against the barrier with a tremendous noise, the explosion sending him flying in the air, but his efforts were greatly rewarded –the blue sparkles of the kekkai died away with a ripple, disappearing together with the binding seal.

Naruto fell hard on the ground, and rolled over a few times to reduce the pain, and when he stopped, Naruto started to laugh again, blue eyes flaring up with excitement.

He had broken the barrier. Forcing such a powerful attack had caused it to crumble upon itself, so he had been right!

Naruto relaxed his sore muscles and breathed deeply, waiting a few moments in order to gather back some of his energy before he did anything else, then he stood up again.

Even though he was still hurt, even though his body was weak and heavy and faint, he had never felt _better_.

…–…–…–…

"What do you mean, he's gone?"

A flash of fear sparkled in the young man's eyes as he stared in shock at the Oto–nin who had reported to him, glasses dropping slightly on his nose.

Of all the things he had expected from the man's report, this hadn't even been on the list; even though he'd given the four shinobi the job of following his master's puppet everywhere and report back every once in a while, he hadn't been expecting such a disrespectful act from Sasuke… not now, not after two and a half years of complete and utter obedience.

To say he was pissed would be an understatement; the medic–nin was ready to kill the man in front of him with no remorse or guilt, but he had to restrain himself –after all, the one they had been stalking was stronger than them.

Besides, Sasuke had already killed three of his four guards without much regards, and ending the life of the fourth would not sit well with his master.

Had Sasuke ran away, then?

Narrowing his eyes, Kabuto pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose, gritting his teeth in anger, feeling his muscles tense up; this was not good, not good at all.

Of all the times Sasuke had decided to ignore his master's orders and leave Otogakure, this was the worst.

Kabuto knew he would have to report to Orochimaru about Sasuke's action, and he knew just how vicious and unmerciful the Sannin could get if he didn't get what he wanted; Sasuke couldn't be thinking of defecting, right?

The stupid kid wasn't strong enough to take on his older brother, and that would also go against his deal with Orochimaru.

Sasuke needed to stay for three years under Orochimaru's control to train, make his body strong and perfect as a vessel for the Snake man, in exchange for the possibility to kill off the older Uchiha.

Of course, that was just the plan Sasuke had agreed on. Kabuto was perfectly aware that Orochimaru had no intention to allow Sasuke to get even vaguely close to Itachi… that would put the body he'd invested so much time on in danger, and it would not do.

Besides, no matter what Sasuke did, he would never get to a point where he could be stronger than Itachi. There was no way he could ever manage.

It would take Sasuke years to gather enough techniques, strength and training to face Uchiha Itachi and hope to win, and Orochimaru did not have the patience to wait for him.

Nor would the man keep his promise once he possessed the teen's body.

The moment his soul entered Sasuke's willing body, all thoughts of such petty revenge would vanish, and on that day, Sasuke's mind and soul would be lost.

Itachi didn't matter to Orochimaru –if anything, and even Kabuto could easily admit it, the Uchiha was too strong, and the Snake didn't want to cross paths with him, if it could be avoided. The man had been just the right bait to gain Sasuke's willingness.

First, Orochimaru had used the curse symbol on Sasuke's neck, showing the teen just how much power Orochimaru could offer him, and how pitiful Konoha truly was.

Now Orochimaru had his desired body in his clutches, and he could get on with the second part of his plan…

Or could have… if Sasuke hadn't decided to defect.

A part of him knew it wasn't _possible_; there was nothing in Konoha for the Uchiha to go back to, and the only thing that could possibly have called him back was Naruto… but Orochimaru had 'slipped' to the Uchiha that the kid was dead.

So why had he suddenly decided to leave, without Orochimaru's consent, only to disappear completely from the Sound country?

"Kabuto, there is no need to get worried," a silky voice commented from his left, dripping venom and malice at each syllable.

"O–Orochimaru–sama!" Kabuto felt his muscles spasm in need to attack the spot the voice came from, but he restrained himself, and bit his lip hard enough to make it bleed. So Orochimaru knew already…

Clear eyes watched in fear and apprehension as the old man walked calmly up to him, staring unblinkingly at the shinobi kneeling in front of them. Orochimaru looked satisfied… almost pleased. Not at all angered.

"I already know of Sasuke's little escapade, and as I said, there is nothing to worry about," Orochimaru dismissed the Oto–nin with a wave of his hand and stared smugly at Kabuto as the younger retainer gulped in distress.

"But… what if…" Kabuto's voice faltered in his speech as he stared in Orochimaru's eyes. They held so much raw and pure malice he felt sick just by staring into them.

Once again he was reminded of how dangerous the man really was.

"A spy reported to me that Akatsuki captured the Kazekage of Suna two days ago. Sasuke heard of this, and decided it was time to see whether he was strong enough to pull off his revenge; he will find out that he still lacks strength when meeting with his dear brother, and when he realizes that…" Orochimaru's smirk widened as his tongue licked slowly at his lips, "He will truly understand the hopelessness of his situation".

Kabuto swallowed hard again.

"Aren't you worried Itachi may kill Sasuke this time?"

"Itachi has a soft spot for his brother. I can't claim that I understand how his mind works, since I am aware that insanity is common in the history of the Uchiha, together with skills. But I am certain he will never kill him, as he had the opportunity to many times over in the last few years, and he never took it," Orochimaru looked almost pleased at that.

Itachi did not care for Sasuke at all, but for his own twisted, and absolutely not understandable reasons, he would never kill him. Orochimaru didn't care to know why anyway.

"What about the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki then? Won't Sasuke realize you lied to him, Orochimaru–sama?"

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, but his smirk didn't change from its predatory appearance. He didn't care what his pupil would think. He was lost already.

Sasuke would be his, and nothing was going to stop that… not even a stupid little blond.

…–…–…–…

Naruto stumbled up the stairs, his heart beating fast in his chest with the excitement he felt.

He was moving towards the exit of this place (or at least somewhere close to the exit, since he'd never seen what was above the stairs), and he couldn't wait to see the outside world again.

Everything was pushed into the back of his mind as he moved upwards, everything blurring away in a hurry, breath erratic and eyes glazed over as he continued running, only one word echoing through his mind, over and over again, to the point of obsession.

'_Out out out out out out out out out__,'_ incessantly, like a mantra.

He fell down as he slipped on a step, but did not pick himself up and simply continued moving, digging his nails into the dirty stairs, ignoring the pain in his wrists and ankles, ignoring the throbbing ache in his chest, ignoring how his already tattered clothes were ripping on the raw material of the stairs.

He didn't care for anything, he just continued moving upwards.

Maybe it was just the adrenaline in his body that was working hard to keep him from fainting, but Naruto had never felt this good –this _alive_– ever before.

The sound of his heart thumping in his chest, in his ears… the sound overwhelmed any other noise, making him feel like the world would end with the next heartbeat.

The flight of stairs ended abruptly and he fell face flat on the floor, spitting a mouthful of dirt as he stood up again, eyes betraying his hurry and his determination.

In front of him there was a long corridor of stone, lit by a light brighter than what had been in the undergrounds; he took a second to look around, eyes darting into every direction to decide where he should go before he started to run again, the need to get out even more pressing now that he had his freedom dangling so close to his eyes.

Unconsciously, he pushed some of his chakra under his feet, propelling his body forwards, and the renewed freedom of having his chakra again filled him even more.

In his running, he passed close to many empty rooms filled with things and weapons, and just as many closed doors, but he didn't care about anything; he simply wanted a way out, and with a sudden claustrophobia demanding him to feel the fresh air again, there was no way he would have stopped.

Naruto didn't know how long he ran, frantically searching for the exit, and he didn't know how many wrong turns he took in the maze of corridors and rooms, running back and changing direction.

If asked afterwards, he would not remember the long search for an exit, and he wouldn't have remembered what he'd seen in his running, either.

All he would remember, with raw clarity, was the main entrance finally appearing as he turned around a corner –the light of the day pouring from the distance, calling him to it.

Relief filled him, urging him on, making him run even faster, stumbling and gasping…

Light exploded around him as he reached the end of the corridor, blinding his darkness–accustomed eyes so much that it brought forth tears, forcing him to shut them close with a yelp.

When he could finally blink his eyes open again, he slowly took in his surroundings, mouth open wide.

He was standing close to a tall wall of rock of which he could not see the tip, and it looked like the hideout he'd been imprisoned into was within the depths of that mountain.

Below him, there was just thin air, and down, after a long freefall, there were rocks and sand, and nothing to hold onto to get down.

The sky was free from clouds, and its deep blue was so intense and wonderful to Naruto's eyes that he was left breathless, simply staring at the world in a daze; the sand and the landscape also looked beautiful to him, a kind of raw beauty he'd never thought would exist. The yellow and the brown clashed against the azure sky, creating a mix of various shades, until he could not tell where one colour finished and the other started.

Naruto stared and his lungs continued breathing on the fresh, clean air, so different from the heavy, damp air of the undergrounds, and the sun against his uncovered skin was a different sort of bliss –a warmth he'd so dearly missed in the hours spent in the darkness.

He was overwhelmed by the wonderful sensations of finally be able to see the outside world again, like he'd been dreaming for too long and now was finally awake from a nightmare.

He was out…

The relief was short-lived and vanished quickly as a flare of chakra reached his senses, coming from another mountain not too far North.

He could recognise the chakra pulse.

Blue eyes narrowed and pupils turned into slits.

And he started moving again.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** well, hope this chapter satisfied you enough. Please, drop me a review so I know what you think of it, and see you next chapter!

_Haori, hakama _– pants and shirt Japanese styled.

_Kekkai _– protective barrier of spiritual energy or chakra.


	19. Unleash

**Edited:** 09/06/2011

**Thanks to all my adorable reviewers!**

**StarsOfYaoi****:** I wanted to write another chapter, and I did. Do not expect such hurried updates in the near future, ok? Read and enjoy. The action is here. XD

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Rating**: M

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, angst, torture, and such. Mental as well. Flames will be used to warm up food.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 19: Unleash**

_He was out…_

_The relief was short-lived and vanished quickly as a flare of chakra reached his senses, coming from another mountain not too far North._

_He could recognise the chakra pulse._

_Blue eyes narrowed and pupils turned into slits._

_And he started moving again._

…–…

The enormous chakra flares were somewhat familiar to Naruto as the teen wobbled and moved as quickly as his weary body could towards the nearby mountain.

He knew by instinct that there wasn't much more time left, and he had to hurry.

In the middle of the huge waves that passed through him as he got close, Naruto could distinguish Itachi's chakra signature humming strongly, and even more clear, the darker and scarier one that belonged to the Akatsuki leader; he'd been right, and the knowledge filled him with dread.

He needed to get Gaara out of there.

He didn't doubt that the members of that organization were horribly strong –stronger than he could ever be– but that didn't mean he wouldn't try with all his might to get the upper hand.

Even though he had been coped up inside the Akatsuki undergrounds for Kami only knew how long, Naruto was by no means broken. There was no reason to cry or being depressed about what had happened, not if he wanted to get out of the same situation.

And still, part of him wondered if he'd ever be strong enough; his running from Itachi had showed him that he needed to get even stronger if he wanted to have a chance at surviving, but now he was faced with the whole Akatsuki…

But he had to try and he had to do it, because Gaara was there, and he had to save him.

He would do his best.

The giant mountain glared down imposingly at him, almost mocking him, and Naruto stopped, stumbling a bit as his ankles suddenly gave out, blood seeping through the hastily–made bandages.

He might have been able to move faster if he'd employed his personal invention, but not having used his chakra for so long, he was unsure about the limits of how much he would be able to use with that battered body, and he could not allow himself to waste it –not even a drop.

He had hurriedly stopped the chakra flooding towards his wounds, hoping that the thin flow coming from the demon would be enough to keep him covered until they reached Sunagakure, and he wasn't going to use it for himself.

Something he didn't know, but that made his decision the right one, was that the counter–effect from removing the wards from his body was still active –it formed a thin layer that would have made any attempt to heal his wounds useless.

Thankfully, he'd decided to keep his chakra safe, so none of it was wasted out trying to heal wounds that would not heal normally, and the bandages kept protecting the raw flesh –at least for the moment.

Standing up again, fighting against a wave of dizziness, Naruto slapped his cheeks to focus again on the mountain; he had to get inside somehow.

Jiraiya had been clear with him –his limit with Rasengan was three. After the third, his chakra would be lowered enough that to keep fighting he'd have to draw on the Kyuubi's reserves.

Of course, now Naruto could make a powered–up Rasengan that was twice as strong as the one he could do three years before, and he could still decide how much chakra to put into his attack, so he could make more than five low–powered ones if he needed to.

With the Kyuubi chakra still sealed away, Naruto needed to time his intervention and the number of Rasengan he could use; if he used more than two, he would have barely enough energy to keep on moving, and then he would not be able to escape.

That meant…

He could only make one at full–power. Even one more, and he would not be able to leave the cave with Gaara, no matter his determination.

Even now, he could feel his strength wavering, and with the loss of blood, he needed to move quickly.

There was no time to waste, and he knew he would never come up with a decent plan in so little time… especially not when someone close to him was suffering. He could leave rational thinking to the guys back in Konoha –he needed to be himself now… rushing down, quickly and without waiting.

Naruto smirked, a blue sphere slowly forming in his waiting hand.

"**Rasengan!**"

He slammed the chakra swirling ball against the wall of stone he had in front of him.

"Gaara! I am coming!"

…–…–…–…

The approaching presence was undetected until it was too late, and despite their strict control and the jutsu they had placed upon their surroundings, it was also completely unexpected.

The Akatsuki group had been performing the middle part of the extraction by that time, comfortably sitting with their eyes fixed on the unmoving shape that soon would be deprived of its demon –and as a side–effect, also its life– and the deep darkness enveloping them had long since allowed a soft glow from the _figure_ in–between them.

Everything had been progressing as it should be, then…

An explosion shattered the balance, disrupting the attention from the jutsu.

As that middle part of the jutsu was the most delicate moment of the whole extraction, when the chakra was channelled from the nine members and shifted towards the Bijuu, forcing the demon out so that it would be absorbed by the _thing_, any unbalance would mess up the jutsu.

The redirected chakra had to be gently and steadily shifted from Jinchuuriki to the… _thing_, and nothing could rush that part.

That was the reason why the nine members were focused on the unresponsive body of the Jinchuuriki, and their attention had been entirely focused on that, leaving their surroundings momentarily unattended.

A humming chakra unfamiliar to most of the members vibrated and rippled forwards, suddenly flashing through their senses, alerting them that someone was coming; the interruption was completely unexpected.

The source of that power was easily pinpointed –the chakra surge was weak, and wavered as it got closer, making it hard to recognise; it was weak, which was what had helped in keeping it undetected but now that it was this close, they could feel it.

The fading chakra signal was weak and didn't feel like a danger, and yet…

The following explosion was so abrupt that the nine members could do nothing but turn around and stare as a part of the wall at their right crumbled down unexpectedly, showering the cave with light.

Surprise flickered through their eyes before light hit them, and they all recoiled from the sudden, blinding light, unused to it after having spent a day in almost complete darkness.

Despite the sudden distraction, none of the members dared to move, continuing along with the extraction.

Whoever the assailant was, there was no way they would be able to take on the whole Akatsuki, especially with such weak chakra signature…

As one, nine Akatsuki members stared at the figure that swiftly appeared in the middle of the huge opening in the wall, eyes wary and muscles tense.

They waited for more figures to appear –surely whoever was attacking wouldn't be alone, right?– but as no one else appeared, they were left disconcerted by the sight; they waited as the smoke from the falling wall finally dissipated and the figure was revealed to their eyes.

As the dust finally settled, drifting away from the opening in the wall, the Akatsuki could finally see who the attacker was.

Itachi's crimson eyes narrowed as he realised that the person he had been so intent in ignoring was now in front of him, silhouette against the sun, and was standing there proudly despite looking completely exhausted.

Naruto looked like he had come back from the depths of hell, and maybe… maybe that was indeed the truth.

Akatsuki could only stare.

Naruto's eyes were cold yet filled with a fire Itachi had grown familiar with in the last month, a fire that Itachi almost welcomed from the distance that separated them; emotions were so alive and burning within his blue eyes that the mere sight was stunning.

Clothes ripped and dirty from his confinement, Naruto's pants were barely holding up at the waistline, and his jacket was long gone, forgotten in the undergrounds in his haste to get out, and his black shirt was almost ready to fall, revealing smooth, tan skin underneath.

Blood was covering his frame, from head to toe, dripping from the wounded wrists and ankles and onto the ground, soaking the bandages red. There was so much blood it was almost revolting.

His blond hair was darkened by mud, blood and dirt, taking an opaque shade, damp strands falling down his eyes, giving him the appearance of a wild beast whose cage had been mistakenly left open.

The sight was, by any means possible, astounding.

Itachi hadn't expected this; Naruto was free from the sealing kekkai that had been placed on the undergrounds? How could that be possible? To break any type of sealing barrier one would need chakra, and the teen's coils had been sealed…

Sharingan eyes turned to Naruto's ankles and wrists. Even with the bandages covered in blood, Itachi could see that the wards were not there anymore. Surely the Jinchuuriki hadn't known the dispelling jutsu, and there had been no one around him to do so…

Unless…

Unless Naruto had ripped the wards away.

Just like that. By pure, physical strength, without using chakra.

'_Such a fool,'_ Itachi stared at the slightly trembling figure (trembling that wasn't caused by fear, but by _pain_) with wide, surprised eyes. He hadn't expected such a thing from Naruto, not at all; had it been any other person, ripping off the wards would have meant death, but the blond teen was not just alive, but standing in front of him, eyes defiantly staring up at them, filled with rage and determination.

Kyuubi's chakra was still sealed, Itachi could see that with his Sharingan, and that meant Naruto had just ripped away his wards, and run through the kekkai, with his own strength.

Dripping blood and surely hurting, Naruto had still managed to get to them, all by himself.

Itachi blinked.

Despite the utter foolishness of Naruto's actions, Itachi couldn't help but regard his determination with respect (_hadn't there been any fear or hesitation? Had Naruto fought with himself to do it?_)

Naruto had decided to hurt himself to such an extent in order to get his freedom back, but not just that… he had somehow understood that the Akatsuki were extracting the demon from his friend and had acted accordingly, deciding not to run away but to actually face them to free his friend.

Akatsuki, Itachi had to note, had once again underestimated the Kyuubi's vessel, and not just his strength, but also his determination.

No matter how stupid his appearance there was… Itachi could not deny Naruto had courage.

_That leaf was not green. That much was obvious. Nor was it red, though. Then… what was its colour?_

The question that had lingered in the back of Itachi's mind now slithered forwards, undaunted, raging within the confines of his conscious.

There was no answer that he could find.

Even the rest of the Akatsuki could only stare at the blond teen in shock; they had been sure he would not get free, not with the wards on his body and the protective barrier placed all around the undergrounds… and yet, there he was, his presence coming out as an incognita.

It didn't take much for the rest of the men to come to the same conclusion Itachi had.

The blond kid had once again managed to surprise nine of the strongest ninja in the Five Countries, especially after his display of strength during his own extraction.

And… he could have escaped, yet he hadn't.

The white eyed Akatsuki Leader sighed briefly, shaking his head. Had things been different, had this foolish young teen not being the Kyuubi no Youko's vessel, then…

Standing on the rubble of the wall, Naruto looked up, eyes fixed on the nine figures standing high above the ground. A part of his brain supplied that one of them was Itachi, and he wondered idly what the older man would think of him now –but that didn't matter now, did it?

With the strain of having used the Rasengan, that had destroyed a good part of the mountain wall and had allowed him to get into the cave, he felt oddly faint, and he concentrated on breathing deeply, feeling a wave of nausea slowly curl up into his stomach.

He couldn't allow himself to fall unconscious, not now –or everything he'd done would be in vain.

For a split second, Naruto looked up and his thoughts were brought back to the time, not too long before, when he had been the one they had concentrated on.

The pain of the memory blurred for a second with the pain he felt now.

He needed to confront them, so that no one else would ever get through something this painful ever again.

It felt like time was slowing down, and Naruto allowed himself a second to stare at the shadowed faces of the nine shinobi standing there, even though he did not know why.

Then, as he could still feel the humming amount of chakra being moulded together, his eyes trailed to the centre of the cave, seeking desperately the frame of his friend.

He didn't have much time, and surely once the Akatsuki got over the shock of his sudden appearance, they–

And then, Naruto saw Gaara.

All of sudden, time froze.

Naruto's mind was enveloped with a deep silence –the kind of numb, dulled silence one could experience while swimming downwards in a pond– and within that silence, Naruto could only hear the deep, hollow sound of his own heartbeat.

Heavy, slow at start, then faster and faster, until the silence shattered–

The world exploded around him.

Gaara was sprawled in midair, a few feet away from the ground, and underneath him layer upon layer of sand, signalling he'd tried to protect himself with his sand until he'd fallen unconscious. Red hair hid his eyes, but Naruto could easily see the creases of pain still on his face, even as he wasn't awake to feel it.

He looked defeated. Empty and pained.

'_Gaara…'_

Naruto's eyes widened, and unknown to him, his pupils constricted all of sudden.

The contours of the cave blurred away, and the only thing Naruto could see was his friend's body there, hovering in the air, a veil of chakra surrounding him that seemed to be _pulling_ onto something.

Gaara had suffered.

"G… Gaara?"

His voice was broken and raw from use, and he didn't even realise he'd been speaking aloud.

If the extraction continued, Gaara would go directly into Death's embrace, without even opening his eyes one last time, gone, just like that…

**Why.**

Why were they doing such a thing?

_Why Gaara?_

Why did they have to extract the demons?

Why the thirst for power?

_**No.**_

It was _not_ right.

It was wrong.

_Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong…_

How did they dare?

The echo exploded all of sudden and without warning, and the feeling of building chakra caught the Akatsuki members by surprise once again.

Naruto felt the world suddenly tilt around him –no sound, no colour, no noise, nothing…

His sight bled crimson, and the dull pain in his body concentrated into his stomach, causing him to double over, crying out loud with his raw throat.

He screamed.

Again and again, until his screams were so high pitched they thrummed within his brain, his ears tingling, tears rolling down his cheeks, pain burning though him.

Arms wound around his shoulders, in a vain attempt to embrace himself as the pain flaring through his body grew in intensity, rage and sorrow and dread and sadness melting together into a single, powerful emotion.

The sight sent a shiver through the Akatsuki members, who fought against the urge to flinch.

Bubbling and fizzling, Naruto's chakra wavered, unstable; it had been caged for too long, and the sight of Gaara had triggered something within him that sent his chakra wild. Coating his skin with a blue hue, the chakra condensed and grew thick, dripping all over his body, heavy and burning, until it covered all of Naruto's body, until the only thing that could be seen through the blanket of chakra were his eyes, still fixed on Gaara's unmoving body.

Gaara.

_Left to die in the dirt. Alone._

_No…_

Without anyone to cling to. **Alone**.

"_**No!**_"

The blue chakra darkened instantly into a deep shade, so intense it was almost black, and it started to drift into a spiral all over Naruto's body, falling onto the ground under his feet, still moving, shifting–

Naruto called out for Kyuubi's power.

He could see it so clearly now, almost as if it was in front of him. The barrier keeping Kyuubi away from him would be so easy to break, and the red power was on the other end. That raw, enraged strength.

The blocking seal on his stomach didn't matter.

The Akatsuki now staring at him in surprise didn't matter.

He called out for Kyuubi with all his strength, all his anger, all his venom… his mind reached out, pulling at the seal, his blue chakra fighting it from the outside, pouring around him like a cascade.

'_I need…__'_

He needed his power.

'_I need…__'_

He needed Kyuubi's power. _Now_.

He had never felt such anger before, not for Sasuke, not for anything else. Every other emotion was dulled out until there was nothing left but anger.

Like a fragile glass crashing under intense pressure, the confinement seal on his stomach shattered instantly.

The following wave of chakra was devastating and intensely familiar.

The world collapsed around the nine Akatsuki members, much like a repeat of the last extraction, but this time without the anguish–filled cry of the in human _being,_ the walls around them, the entire fundaments of the mountain vibrating, shaking, crumbling under the sheer force of the chakra pulse raging forwards.

Destroying everything on their path, the waves of chakra exploded against the cave.

Resisting against the chakra, the mountain still managed to stand, although it looked ready to collapse if more waves slammed against it.

The sight was something to behold.

Naruto's entire body was being surrounded by a thick layer of red (_crimson red, blood red, so intense everything else was dull and lifeless_), bubbling and fizzling against his skin like a corrosive acid, making its way to cover his frame completely and taking over the blue one.

His eyes… his eyes were not _human_ anymore, with animal–like slit pupils burning with rage, and the whiskers on his cheeks were so deep they could pass for scars.

Naruto was gasping loudly, the pain of Kyuubi's unleashed chakra licking at his body like flames, burning away his skin and healing it back a split second later in a never ending, horrible circle.

As the Akatsuki watched, unable to look away from the transformation, since none of them had ever seen it before, Naruto's human teeth morphed into Kyuubi's long canines, fangs of exquisite sharpness peeking from the confines of his parted lips.

His hands were twitching and clenching over and over, fingers trying to get used to the added weight of fully formed claws, looking just as sharp and lethal as his fangs.

He was both horrible and breathtaking, a terrible and mortal beauty.

Last came the tails.

There were four of them, whipping and slashing in the air, slightly transparent but still just as real as his claws and fangs, curling around him like some sort of protective blanket.

The transformation was complete –Naruto was not Naruto anymore, fused with the demon he hosted deep within himself, burning eyes full of hatred never leaving Gaara's form.

Then he moved.

…–…–…–…

Suna was standing right in front of them, its greyish buildings and towers clear against the blue of the sky; everything looked still, as if time had stopped and froze.

They couldn't see anyone in the streets, but they could feel a dark aura looming over the houses.

The Hidden Village of Sand looked almost lost, as if something very precious had been taken away from them.

To an outsider's eyes, Gaara might have seemed the same as many years before –ruthless and evil… but he had changed.

He had learned to smile –a small, almost invisible smile, but one nonetheless– and his green eyes would always warm up with care (_even love_) whenever he looked at the village he'd sworn to protect.

It had taken him a long while, but his people had started noticing that. The villagers, the shinobi… they'd seen how Gaara had changed, and the care he showed them, and had responded accordingly, welcoming him as a vital part of the village… as part of their lives.

His sudden disappearance left an unexpected hole that they found themselves unable to fill. Suna missed his Kage dearly.

The Konoha–nin had finally arrived to the village, rushing there as fast as they could, forcing through their limits in order to get to Suna.

The moment the village appeared in front of them, Temari sped up with a sudden burst of energy; she hadn't slept the previous night out of worry, and despite the reassuring words her companions had offered her, she feared the worst.

She needed to get to Kankurou and find out what had happened, hoping things would be better than she feared.

Unfortunately, her hurried pace was tinged with worry and with a growing fear, slicing through her heart like a blade, constricting her lungs and making her eyes prickle painfully.

What if Gaara was already dead by the time she got to Suna? What if she'd arrived too late to save him?

If that were to happen, she would never be able to forgive herself. Gaara was her little brother, and yes, there had been problems between them in the past, but now things were different.

She cared for him like a sister would, and she was so very proud of his achievements.

Sensing Temari's change of pace, Kakashi and the others sped up as well, knowing well what the kunoichi was feeling; the four teens and the two adults moved in synch after the Sand–nin, exchanging worried gazes.

It didn't take long for them to get to the Kazekage tower, but once there, the news they got were not good.

"Temari–sama! It's a blessing you're back! Gaara–sama was captured by the Akatsuki!" Baki, who hadn't anticipated to see her back so soon but had felt her chakra approaching, stared down at her with worried eye (the other was hidden behind his band); Temari nodded at him to show she knew already of the bad news, but Baki hadn't finished yet.

The man still felt partially responsible for the kidnapping of his Kazekage, as it should have been his duty to protect him from danger, but he was left in Suna and he had to do his work perfectly; if Gaara were to return and command his demotion, he would accept and welcome it for his inability to be of any help during the time he should have been there at the Kazekage's side.

"Baki–san, I am aware of the current situation," Temari narrowed her eyes. "This is a valiant team from Konoha that is here to try and help Gaara," she pointed towards Kakashi and the others.

Baki nodded, but his eyes were still grave. He didn't complain about a group of kids with two strange looking shinobi because he trusted the Sand female's judgement.

"There's more to it, Temari–sama," he continued, and motioned for them to follow him.

As they reached the infirmary room inside the Kazekage tower, Temari was shocked to see her brother Kankurou laying on a bed, shaking with horrible convulsions due to what she recognised as poison. His face was fixed in a pained scowl, sweat trickling down his neck and forehead, fingers unconsciously gripping the sheets of the bed, knuckles white to signal the strength he was using to keep an anchor against the pain wracking his body.

Temari could see the pain in his expression, and she felt her heart clench painfully at the sight; his pants and groans were like blades slashing through her body.

An old woman was doing her best to cure him, extracting the poisoned blood by using her chakra, but the results were very slow even though Temari knew her as the most valuable Medic–nin Suna had, and the pale face of Kankurou was just making her even more distressed.

"What… what happened to him?" her voice was steady and didn't waver, even though she wasn't this calm on the inside. She was the only one left that had not been taken down, and she needed to be strong.

"He tried to follow the two Akatsuki guys, and engaged one in a fight, but unfortunately could not beat him," Baki told her and the Konoha–nins, his voice laced with regret and self–hatred. "He's been fighting the poisoning for over a day, and the only information on his attacker we were able to get was just a name he whispered before he passed out, and the direction where the two went".

Kakashi moved forwards, staring at the other man with serious eye. He knew Suna was facing bad times, but they were here to help. "We will do our best to find the Kazekage. The Hokage sent us to help, so please trust us. Where did the Akatsuki go?"

Baki nodded, motioning for them to leave the room so the healer could continue her work; Temari didn't follow them out, deciding to stay at her brother's side.

With a grim look, Baki moved to a nearby window, pointing out to the desert. The sun, bright against the sand, almost seemed to mock them.

"Akatsuki left the village through the Southern entrance, leaving behind a trail of dead bodies," Baki frowned in anger. "Kankurou–sama followed them there, and was found not far from the gates, critically poisoned and hurt. He had the time to utter the name of his attacker, who happens to be an S–ranked Missing–Nin originated from Sunagakure a few decades ago –Akasuna no Sasori".

Kakashi nodded and his thoughts turned dark.

He recognised that name from one of the older Bingo books; the man was supposed to be the inventor of the Puppet technique Suna was so famous for, the same one Kankurou used. He had disappeared from the village and was ranked very high among the nuke–nin, blamed for the disappearance of the Sandaime Kazekage –the predecessor of Gaara's father.

The man had been assumed dead, though –if he had somehow survived, Kakashi knew he would be a tough opponent.

Kakashi frowned; the Akatsuki as a whole was nothing to laugh at, really. It grouped together some of the strongest missing–nin wandering through the shinobi countries, and each of them specialised in a different art of killing.

All of them were merciless and cold, and shouldn't be underestimated.

The copy–nin knew that they would probably face the entire organization if they were to follow the traces left by the two members who had kidnapped Gaara, and even though they might be weakened by the extraction process, they would still be deathly.

They needed to get there and rescue Gaara if possible, and then try to run, not engage in a battle that could end in a blood bath.

"Group, I want to make one thing clear –we are not here to fight with Akatsuki," Kakashi turned to his companions and took great care to stare each one of them in the eyes. "We wouldn't be able to take down the entirety of that organization. We will only concentrate on getting Gaara back, understood?"

Gai and the teens nodded in agreement.

After making sure she had all her weapons' scrolls on her, TenTen glanced at the three teens at her side.

Shikamaru was frowning slightly, staring ahead with penetrating eyes, as if trying to think ahead what kind of obstacles they'd have to face; she didn't miss the way his fingers brushed carefully with Neji's in a gesture that was meant to comfort both.

TenTen smiled warmly –she'd long since given up on the Hyuuga prodigy, and the sight only warmed her up.

Neji, though, looked a bit pale; she felt another wave of worry for him. ever since leaving Konoha, Neji had looked bad to her. She was painfully aware that he had believed Naruto to be alive all along, and now that belief was being shattered because Akatsuki had attacked Gaara…

She hoped he would finally let go and get better.

Lee on the other hand looked unusually serious, with a determined look she only rarely saw on him; he was the only one among the Leaf teens that thought of Gaara as a friend, and he surely felt it was his duty to go and help him out.

Somewhat reassured by Lee's determination, TenTen straightened her back and smirked. She hoped that even if they couldn't save the Kazekage, they would get back home without casualties. She'd make sure of that herself.

Besides, they would do their best.

"Let's go!" Kakashi and Gai said together.

The group moved onwards.

Baki stared at them until they disappeared in the distance, before moving back inside to join Temari in the infirmary room.

…–…–…–…

Everything was hazy.

his whole body burned with a scorching pain, but even through that, Naruto could still remember his priority; he could feel Kyuubi's chakra flow through him like flames, covering all his frame, the edges of his vision blurred with tones of red.

It clawed at his skin, eating and burning it away and then healing it a second later, but despite the pain flaring through him, Naruto could still reign control over his body.

The situation was rather surprising –he had never been able to control Kyuubi's chakra over a certain point, no matter how many times Jiraiya had tried to make him keep his mind; the most he could use without losing himself was three tails, any more and the instincts of the demon would take control, pushing his mind down.

He could work at a hundred percent with two tails, and the third was rather hard, as his compulsion to just lash out would get stronger then, but the moment the fourth tail sprouted from him, his consciousness would be drowned away.

Jiraiya had pushed him to that point only once, and Naruto would never be able to forget that day –he had lost control, and had attacked his teacher, hurting him to the point where they had been forced to stay in a village for over a month in order for Jiraiya to heal.

When he had woken up, an indefinite amount of time later, he was in a hospital, feeling worn out and terribly tired, and Jiraiya had been in the bed next to him, covered in bloody bandages.

The sight had hurt Naruto more than he had allowed Jiraiya to see.

He could have killed his mentor then, and the fear and disgust towards himself had haunted him for months, even with Jiraiya's reassuring words (_"I would never blame you for that… my selfish words were not meant to be said, I provoked you, and you just reacted. I don't blame it on you, not at all. I should have known better")._

That had been the first and only time Naruto had reached four tails… until now.

What had changed since then?

He could feel four tails swishing in the air behind him, and yet he could still control himself; the instincts were bubbling under a thin layer, he could still feel them, but… he retained complete control all the same.

Why? His own chakra control had been easier after the warding… what did that mean?

As it was, there was no time to focus on that, though –he felt strong. The power cursed through his veins, and he knew that he could take on at least one member of the Akatsuki evenly…

They were wary. Not afraid, but clearly unsettled –he could feel it.

They could see Kyuubi's power clearly now, and they didn't want to provoke him more than they had already –maybe Naruto could not control it fully, but he would prove to be a challenge, and they did not want to try that out.

Besides, they were still continuing the extraction… they could not stop.

As Naruto turned his attention to the being absorbing the Akatsuki chakra, he felt his anger spike again.

No, he couldn't fight the Akatsuki… not now. Even with the surge of power flaring within him, his body was still unused to such an amount of raw chakra, and he knew he didn't have enough time before he collapsed.

Naruto's demonic eyes narrowed, and then–

He leaped forwards.

His body became a blur of red and black, and Naruto jumped forwards, sending a flash of searing chakra towards the nine Akatsuki members, who had to call forth a chakra barrier to protect themselves.

The Leader's eyes narrowed in anger as he prepared to use a jutsu in order to block the threat, but Naruto's speed increased all of sudden, for a moment greater than the man's reaction time.

Naruto landed next to Gaara, on all fours, and kneeling there, he nuzzled his head towards the chakra blanket he could see surrounding his friend's unresponsive body; eyes glinting with something dangerous, he raised one hand (_paw_) and the red layer on his body moved to coat Gaara's frame as well.

Almost as if acting as a barrier, the Kyuubi's chakra stopped the gathered chakra of the Akatsuki from reaching the Kazekage, and the nine shinobi were startled when the connection with the being disappeared all of sudden.

Scrambling up, suddenly wary, the group suddenly realised that with the aid of the demon he held within him, Naruto had just managed to stop an extraction –for the second time.

It had happened in a matter of seconds, and once again, the Akatsuki had failed.

Looking up at them, Naruto smirked, fangs glinting dangerously with the light coming from outside of the cave; his rational mind was slowly ebbing away now that his deed was done, and his survival instincts kicked in, alerting him that Kyuubi's chakra would soon waver and he still needed to get away.

As if sensing that the Jinchuuriki was going to leave, the Akatsuki finally sprinted into action, jumping down from the finger–pillars and surrounding the two teens.

Naruto's face did not show any fear as he kneeled again, moving Gaara's body on his back and securing it so that it would not slip.

"You won't get away, un!" Deidara felt rightfully angry, and a pout made its way to his lips; he hadn't liked the loss of time and the waste of chakra for not just one extraction, but two.

He didn't care if the boy still had the Kyuubi inside –he would teach him a lesson.

"Stop here, and you won't suffer –_much_," Sasori added, his voice low and dangerous.

Itachi said nothing, but his crimson eyes were fixed on Naruto. _'How will you get out now, I wonder?'_ At his side, Kisame growled and gritted his shark teeth, removing Samehada from his shoulders and holding it upwards with his blade titled towards Naruto.

The Leader simply stared. He found all of this entertaining, albeit annoying.

For a single moment, the Akatsuki stared at Naruto, who stared back, chakra tails swishing behind him, waiting…

And then Naruto jumped high.

Fast –faster than ever before, using Kyuubi's chakra to spin underneath his feet and hands– Naruto moved, determined to leave and save Gaara.

Sasori's tail slammed down on the spot Naruto had been a second before, crushing the sand and the rocks into fine powder, but Naruto did not even look back as he landed on the side of the cave's wall, racing upwards, crimson chakra effectively gluing him to the rocks.

The chakra–eating sword belonging to Kisame suddenly appeared in his line of sight, flying towards him, and Naruto hissed, sending a flare of his chakra to collide with the scales of the weapon.

Kisame's smirk quickly vanished when the chakra fizzled against his sword, melting a few of the scales with its high temperature.

"Ch–"

Something flashed above him and Naruto abruptly dashed to the left, avoiding a wave of clay from Deidara's attack, twirling in midair before falling back down on the ground.

There was a person he barely recalled seeing when the Akatsuki had been prodding and testing the seal standing there.

Naruto growled at him, feeling ticked off by the arrogant smile of the man.

He was tall and looked relaxed, hair an unusual shade of grey, holding a small pendant that looked like a rosary with a triangle at one end.

"I am quite irritated," the man started with a sneer. "Because it's the second time you interrupt an extraction. And when I am irritated, blood rushes to my head, and I can't quite control my actions… and of course, that being said…"

"Shut the fuck up and attack him, Hidan!" another figure appeared on Naruto's left, moving towards him with high speed, but Naruto's instincts reacted faster and he moved out of the way.

The man had removed a mask that had hidden part of his face, and he looked like someone had patched him up with thread and sewing needle while doing a horrible job at it. He didn't seem to have anything to attack him with, and yet Naruto hastily backed away from him, as if sensing something that he could not see.

Slit inhuman eyes flickered to the hole he'd made to get into the cave, and then narrowed in concentration –a second later he darted towards it, so quick the Akatsuki closer to him barely had time to get away as the red chakra flared against them.

He was fast –terribly fast, and none of the surrounding shinobi could get there in time to stop him…

Except one.

Naruto forced his chakra to flare forwards, causing another explosion that would aid him in his running, and another part of the wall crumbled down, covering the whole area with dust and smoke.

With his senses pointing out the exit to him, he was fairly sure he would be able to get enough distance between the Akatsuki and himself and–

A figure appeared right in front of him, and Naruto came to a sudden halt.

For a single moment he stilled, unmoving, as crimson swirling eyes met with slit, animalistic pupils –Itachi and Naruto stared at each other in silence.

A heartbeat later, Naruto jumped high, above Itachi's head, and rushed out of the cave.

Itachi's eyes followed him outside, without moving a single muscle to stop him.

'_Interesting…__'_

As the smoke quickly disappeared, the nine members reunited again, most of them clearly pissed off, the rest with unreadable expressions.

"_Kuso!_" Deidara cursed loudly, slamming his foot on the ground twice. "How could we let him escape? We're _**Akatsuki**_! We're stronger than a stupid Jinchuuriki boy, un!"

He wasn't the only one ready to complain –Hidan (bashing the end of his scythe on the ground) opened his mouth, about to let out a string of curses unlike any other he'd ever uttered, then stopped dead as a chuckle echoed from behind him, making him freeze.

Cold and as chilling as a winter breeze, the chuckle evolved into a clipped, low laugh, filled with such malevolence that it sent shivers down most members of the organization.

Their Leader was laughing.

Not just any laugh, but a somewhat pleased, evil laugh, eyes glinting with barely suppressed, morbid amusement.

"Indeed, this is proving to be quite entertaining," he said, his velvet, deep voice stabbing all the remaining members like blades of ice. "We will just let the chase last a little longer, then".

…–…–…–…

He couldn't look away.

The sight was… overwhelming, in a way. After the words (_lies_) he'd been fed with, he hadn't been expecting that –not now, nor _ever_.

And yet, the sight in front of him couldn't be a simple conjured illusion, a Genjutsu –Sharingan flashing to life wasn't even needed to him to reassure himself that what he was seeing was real…

But at the same time, he couldn't just believe that.

He should have been dead. He had almost allowed himself to accept that fact, no matter the pain it caused him, and to be proved wrong now…

For a moment, Sasuke blinked and was no longer Orochimaru's recruit, desiring power in exchange for his body. For that split moment, he was no longer the avenger, the traitor.

Sasuke was deprived of everything that had labelled him during his life, and was left as nothing more than a simple teen, whose heart was beating so loudly in his chest that its sound hurt him.

Even breathing was hard now –the world was almost spinning around him, it was just…

Impossible.

All at once, his cold demeanour, his coolness, his carefully concealed emotions, the mask he had used in order not to be hurt anymore was gone.

Everything disappeared like a small flame in the breeze, and Sasuke was left as simply Sasuke, shocked and feeling younger and weaker than ever before, eyes unable to look away from the figure standing there, in front of him… inhuman and scary, yet at the same time so familiar.

There was no more rage that he could find within him, no more hatred. Everything was simply…

Gone.

"Naruto…" his own voice came out in a mere reverent whisper.

This was _Naruto_. Even though he didn't look _human_ at all, even though he should have been dead… this was Naruto.

Naruto was still alive, and the rational part of his brain supplied him with a possible reason why (_all this time… Akatsuki had kept him as a prisoner…_), whilst his first instinct was to run to him and touch him… to make sure.

To feel him there, to know he was truly alive.

With every ounce of self control he still had, Sasuke restrained his sudden desire, despising himself for the unwanted feelings flowing so strongly into him that he could barely breathe, let alone _move_.

He had thought he had freed himself of useless emotions, and now he had been proved wrong.

As usual, now like in the past, Naruto was the only one that could ever get a reaction out of him.

The thought sent a bout of annoyance curse through him.

Even this feeling washed away when Naruto's crimson eyes (_eyes of an animal, not human, slit like a cat's… Naruto… was this even Naruto?) _seemed to focus on him. their intensity made Sasuke feel oppressed by some invisible force, and he almost recoiled in shock.

Was this _really_ Naruto?

It _couldn't_ be.

This… _creature_… was not human…

Sasuke's attention then focused on the body that the Naruto–like creature was holding on his back, and it took the Uchiha a moment to recognise who that person was.

'… _the Sand shinobi?'_ Sasuke frowned. He'd known Akatsuki had wanted the Kazekage… had Naruto saved him then? It surely looked like it.

"Sa… Sasuke?"

The haze curling around Naruto's mind seemed to thin out a bit, and he was left staring at a person he'd wished to see so many times before, the same one that had haunted his thoughts for years now.

Shit, he had missed this particular Uchiha so much.

The guilt and the betrayal swelling in his chest hurt more than his wounds did.

He had spent the last few years training simply to take Sasuke back, in order to understand the teen; he had promised Sakura that he would get him back.

There had been many nights in which Naruto had dreamed of their next encounter, and this…

This wasn't like he had envisioned.

Seeing him like this…

He _wasn't_ ready. He _couldn't_ fight him, he couldn't prevent the Uchiha from killing him if he were to try. Not now.

He was weak, and he had not much energy left… and he had to save Gaara.

But Sasuke was _important,_ wasn't he?

He wanted to take Sasuke with him as well. Not just Gaara.

"Sasuke… is it… really _you_?"

Sasuke was ashamed to notice that there were tears pooling into Naruto's eyes. He backed away in shock, even though his face was set to an emotionless mask. This was Naruto. There was no other possibility, and yet…

Similar but different from the one he had fought with at the Valley of End.

This was the Naruto he had once wanted to kill…

Oh, he did not want to do that anymore.

The thought hit him like a brick wall. When Orochimaru had mocked him, parading Naruto's death at the hands of Akatsuki, the pain Sasuke had felt for the loss of the only person who had ever been able to come close to understanding him (_his best friend, his confident, his rival, his family, his…_)…

He couldn't explain the depths of that pain.

_Too strong._

Sasuke had always been sure that he would be able to renounce to everything (_his life, his childhood, his friends, his family, his future… his own __**body**_) for his revenge. And yet, he didn't want to see someone hurt in the process. Deep down, that was also important…

And Naruto, especially, didn't deserve to be placed where his hatred could hurt him.

It had taken Sasuke a long time to admit that, and the decisive proof had been the blond teen's supposed death; it was then that all pretences had crumbled into nothing, and Sasuke had admitted with himself that he cared for that person enough not to want to hurt him.

And now that he could see Naruto standing there, still alive… that resolve strengthened without his control, and Sasuke became absolutely sure that he would never… _ever_… be able to hurt Naruto now.

Not by him, but also… not by anyone else.

Naruto. Was. Not. To. Be. Hurt.

_**Ever.**_

And before Sasuke could think about something to say –anything– his lips parted on their own accord, and–

"Hn, dobe".

A single word that had, in a way, tied the two teens together for years –a word that was stupid and meaningless to any other person, but that to the two of them meant something else…

It meant a familiarity that neither had wished to admit, it meant friendship and grudgingly rivalry, one that had been destroyed by a chirping noise in a valley three years before.

Sasuke hadn't meant to say that… in fact, he had meant to say nothing. And yet…

That word had settled down, without the snobbish tone he had previously used when calling Naruto that. Emptied of any meaning except…

Naruto blinked in surprise, having not expected Sasuke to speak at all, but hearing that word did not fill him with anger… on the opposite, it sent a wave of sadness wash right through him.

He felt, once more, helpless. He was finally seeing his long lost friend after so long… and he had no energy left to confront him. Sasuke looked aloof and emotionless, and Naruto could not bring himself to read him, either.

What was Sasuke thinking?

The emptiness in his chest grew considerably larger. He wanted nothing more than hug Sasuke and plead him to come back home with him… he had missed him so much… and yet…

He could do nothing.

"Sasuke…"

Sasuke's eyes flared to life, Sharingan spinning to life. He was aware of what Naruto was thinking –the anguish in his eyes was far too clear, after all, even though those eyes were not blue but burning red…

The resolve, the pain Sasuke had caused with his departure… and pain inflicted upon him by someone else.

Akatsuki.

If Sasuke hadn't hated that organization already because of his brother's presence within it, he would have hated it now –for the pain it had caused to Naruto, and more than that, for the pain Sasuke himself had felt at their treachery.

Naruto had survived, and yet, despite the way he looked –covered with bruises, inhuman, and _that chakra…_– he was still clearly anguishing over Sasuke's presence there.

While Sasuke hadn't wanted to give himself any weakness when fighting his brother, he couldn't deny the ties that bound Naruto to him anymore. He couldn't allow the blond any leverage on him, though, but that did not mean he wouldn't extract a fair revenge upon his brother for hurting Naruto…

And…

If anything else failed, Sasuke would still cling onto the fact that Naruto would always, always chase him down, almost a promise for a fair fight between the two of them, to see which one was stronger. To see…

That could only happen if both of them were at their peak, though. Not now. Not like this…

And Sasuke knew something that Naruto did not –Orochimaru's intentions towards Konoha, for example, and once his plans were put into motion, things would quickly crash to a painful, obvious end.

It was going to come sooner than later now.

"Do you think you deserve to even _speak_ to me?" his voice was cold, just like it had grown to be in the long, awful years under Orochimaru's will. He had changed. He wasn't the same Sasuke from before, even though, seeing Naruto, that Sasuke had resurfaced for a moment, and still lingered beneath the surface.

The words were painful, and Sasuke found himself regretting them, but that did not stop him. "At this point, you're not worth my attention… not even that massive power you host can make you stand up at my level… why should I waste my time enslaving you?"

The words rang too true –Sasuke could see the strain in Naruto's stance, the way he fought the urge to just collapse then and there, his wavering chakra signature…

He didn't know what that was –why there were two chakra signatures inside him, why his eyes were bleeding red, why he was sporting claws, fangs… _tails_.

Four tails swishing behind him.

And that red chakra, threatening and evil, burning and melting and fizzling on him.

What was this?

What kind of power could that be?

_Orochimaru would have to explain._

There was a part of him that wanted to stay and talk with Naruto –a stupid, foolish desire he could not indulge himself into. Naruto unsettled him, forcing him to rethink all of his priorities, and he could not allow himself to stay.

If he stayed… (_he would find then that maybe his hatred was not as strong as he wanted it to be, that it couldn't stand blue eyes and a foxy smile and this person who had offered him honest friendship…_) he would waver.

After all… Sasuke was simply human, too.

He had sacrificed much in order to consummate his revenge, and because of that, he couldn't… he _wouldn't_ go back.

For a moment more, the two remained standing one in front of the other, clear opposites –one refusing to admit his humanity, the other wishing desperately to be considered as such…

Each of them chasing what the other was, a never–ending thirst that made the two of them far too similar to the other.

Naruto still considered Sasuke a friend, still fought to get him back home…

And now Sasuke's determination had strengthened.

His brother would pay for everything –for his family, for his lost childhood, and now… also for Naruto's pain.

"Become strong, Naruto, because we will be seeing each other again, and that day will be the last of our friendship," Sasuke said. "Now you're not even worth of my attention".

As he continued speaking, Sasuke steeled himself against the fresh wave of guilt the words brought him. he'd renounced to too many things for his revenge, he could not indulge in something that would serve to weaken him instead.

He couldn't have this friendship. He couldn't allow Naruto to have it.

Sasuke straightened his back, and glared at Naruto (_his_ _friend, rival, family –what words could not explain nor describe their relationship, nor the attempts both took to restore or destroy it_), before disappearing.

As he left, masking his presence while running away from the clearly distressed blond, Sasuke refused to admit the relief flooding his body. Seconds later, he was gone.

Completely still, Naruto could barely form a coherent thought as he stared at the empty spot where his friend had been until a moment before.

Sasuke had been there.

_**Sasuke.**_

After so long, he had finally seen Sasuke again, and then he had left again. A part of his mind wept the lost chance, while the other grew even more determined to follow Sasuke and get him back.

Sasuke had changed so much since the last time he'd seen him, and yet, at the same time, the familiarity had been there. It was still there, hiding somewhere behind that new mask…

"Sasuke…" the tears Naruto had barely managed to restrain finally slid down his cheeks, tinged with crimson blood because of the damage Kyuubi's chakra was causing to his body. "I will take you back one day…"

He spit some blood, coughing as the pain in his chest increased. _'This is my nindo. I made a promise three years ago, and I'll make it again… I will take you back…'_

The weight on his back reminded Naruto of his current situation, and the fact that he still needed to move –Gaara was heavily set on his back and the Kyuubi's chakra was wavering already.

He had been stupid –stopping when the Akatsuki could still be on his tail… he had to start moving again.

Right now… Gaara was more important.

He had to get both of them away from there –he would think about Sasuke later. Sasuke could still be saved but if he hesitated now, Gaara and even himself would not.

Right now… he had to keep going.

He started running again, bloody eyes set forwards.

…–…–…–…–…–…–…

**StarsOfYaoi****:** so that's it. Please, review ok? I really love your comments! And no, Naruto doesn't look like this blackish thing in the manga when he has four tails. His features can still be seen underneath the red layer of demon's chakra.

Please offer me a review!

**Ending Note: **Naruto is _not_ stronger than the Akatsuki. The members can easily beat him into the ground, but they were in the middle of an extraction, and they were a bit strained because of that. The attack was unexpected and Kyuubi's chakra was fierce and heavy on them. Kyuubi, though, could easily take out down the organization one member at a time. Of course, combining their power, the Akatsuki can, at the same time, slay him.

_Kekkai_ – protective barrier.


	20. Return

**Thanks to all the reviewers! And HUGE thanks to my BETA Silence in Nightmares!**

**StarsOfYaoi:** I hate my university's exams. Enough said.

Sorry if this chapter has nothing interesting happening… but it is needed. I hope you will keep on reading, soon enough more cool things will appear, I promise!

……………………………………………

**Next update:** really soon, I promise.

**Rating**: M (or is it higher?)

**Summary:** Kyuubi's secret out. Akatsuki attacking. Fighting for strength, and falling for your ex–best friend's older brother. Maybe Naruto will have to deal with more than he imagined…

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, **_angsty_**, torture, and such. Mental torture as well. Flames will be used to warm up food. OC warning as well.

**Disclaimer**: Not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

……………………………………………

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 20: Return**

_He had to continue his escape, who knew if Akatsuki was on his tail?_

_Right now… Gaara was more important._

_Right now, he had to get out of here alive; he would weep for Sasuke later on… he would feel guilt later on, pain later on._

_Now he had to keep on going._

_He started running again, bloody eyes set forwards._

……………………………………………

The group had been moving relatively peacefully, not paying attention to their surroundings as their senses were projected forwards, intent on searching for anything abnormal, when Kakashi suddenly stopped, frowning in confusion.

Coming from somewhere in front of him, barely reaching his perception, a chakra signature trembled slightly, disappearing from his senses only to reappear a moment later; Kakashi could feel it only faintly; it was too far away even to be recognizable.

The silver haired Jounin felt a shiver pass through his frame as the chakra sent a chill through him that was almost familiar.

Kakashi and the rest of the group had been running to the best of their capabilities, given the fact that, after reaching Suna without resting, their pace had slowed down a bit; even Lee, whose energy was virtually never–ending, was showing signs of strain.

Reacting to the chakra signature, Kakashi lifted his hand a bit, and the others stopped as well.

Gai nodded briefly, and with a spurt he reached Lee and made him stop.

Gathering around Kakashi, the group of Jounin and Chuunin stared quizzically at him.

"What's happening, Kakashi–sensei?" Shikamaru straightened, popping a few bones in his back, groaning in displeasure. He didn't like running, not at all. Once again he wondered why the hell he had become a ninja in the first place.

… oh, yeah. Family heritage.

"There is a weak chakra signature somewhere in front of us… it's still too far away to recognize it clearly, but I suspect it's moving in this direction," Kakashi's only visible eye was narrowed in concentration as he pointed South, where only sand and sparse vegetation could be seen.

Neji blinked before closing his eyes and directing his senses in that direction, carefully inspecting the area with his own chakra, and a second later he nodded sharply, "I can feel it too, but only vaguely. It's wavering a lot and I can't identify it," he commented, opening his eyes again with a calculating frown. "It's definitely coming this way… I will be able to use my Byakugan to check on it soon enough."

Shikamaru frowned and scratched his ear; his own perceptive senses could not feel the approaching chakra at all, but he knew how sharp Neji's senses were, just like Kakashi's ( as Shikamaru instead excelled in strategy and mental tasks). He trusted both, so he accepted their word and waited with TenTen and Lee for the approaching chakra to be near enough for Neji to activate his Byakugan.

"What if… what if it's an enemy?" TenTen let her hand trail down to her pouch, slowly extracting a couple of kunai, gripping them tightly; Lee bit his lip and assumed a rigid position.

"We can't be sure," Kakashi replied, his shoulders tense. "Because of the natural conformation of the territory around us, we can't hide anywhere –we won't be able to avoid a confrontation if it comes to that."

Shikamaru sighed again, muttering under his breath as he gathered a bit of strength; what a troublesome affair he'd gotten himself into…

"Prepare yourselves," Gai ordered, shifting his body into his usual Taijutsu style, one hand lifted in front of his face with the palm pointing upwards.

Lee copied him straightaway.

Neji continued monitoring the chakra, feeling it move closer, finally close enough that even Shikamaru and the others could feel it.

"I'm able to check on it now," Neji informed them. Stepping forwards, he prepared himself. "**Byakugan**!" he stated firmly.

During the last few years he'd trained with his bloodline with the help of his uncle Hiashi, and was now able to use it without any hand seals –as he'd already passed that level.

Bracing himself for the sudden changes the bloodline use would force on him, Neji resigned himself to the bitter sensation that always lingered in him after using his white eyes, mentally waiting for the shift in his eyesight. Being able to suddenly see through things, all around him, and for many miles in the distance required strict concentration and mental preparation.

He felt the rush of chakra pump around his eyes, flowing through the veins on his face as he concentrated it in his pupil–less orbs, staring in front of him.

There was a strong pull, almost as if an invisible force was pushing him forwards, but he was prepared, and the familiar sensation did not unsettle him; his vision shimmered twice, acquiring a blur in the corners as he felt himself rush forwards, passing trees, sand, and bushes until he finally found what he was searching for.

For a second, the figure was nothing but a blur of crimson chakra (_Neji was taken aback. Crimson? No shinobi ever had such a chakra colour…_), but as he concentrated on it, ignoring everything around the shape, it slowly came into focus, sharp and clear in his vision.

It took a moment for Neji's brain to understand what he was seeing, but the moment he accepted the information, Neji ceased using his Byakugan abruptly and backed away with a gasp.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

He'd been losing hope, he'd been so close to accepting it that it hurt.

His heart was beating so fast in his chest that it drowned away the concerned voices around him, as his mind was fixed on what he'd seen.

"Neji?" Shikamaru stepped forward, worried about the sudden reaction of his boyfriend. "Neji, what's wrong?"

The raven haired teen was not listening.

He knew he had to move, but right now he was frozen… and was vaguely aware that there was something burning at the sides of his eyes. He felt so many emotions swirling inside him that he knew he would break down if he couldn't regain his control back.

A smile slowly crept onto his face, a bit shaky but it was there.

What he'd seen was real. Real.

_**Real.**_

"I knew it, I knew I was right…," he whispered.

"Neji, is everything alright?" TenTen and Lee, worried about their team–mate, dropped their stances and moved towards the Hyuuga, frowning.

They were even more taken aback as Neji started to laugh softly, his entire frame shaking with mirth.

"Neji!" now Shikamaru was officially worried –was Neji on the verge of another breakdown! What the hell was happening?

Before Neji could answer and explain his sudden change of attitude, everyone stiffened as a wave of chakra exploded in the distance, before vanishing away. No trace of the foreign chakra remained lingering in the air, as if it had never been there in the first place.

Neji's eyes widened as he felt the chakra disappear, and realized what had probably happened; there was no time to lose, he had to move. Now.

Without turning towards his companions, Neji sprinted forward, running with all his remaining strength as to not arrive too late, deaf to Gai and Kakashi's pleads to stop.

……………………………………………

Naruto tried in vain to cough the sand and the dirt out of his lungs, but he had so hard a time trying to stand again that even his breathing was coming in ragged pants.

He'd wasted almost his entire energy reserve and strength to run away from the Akatsuki, taking Gaara's unresponsive body with him. The only thing that had managed to calm his fears was the steady thumping of the redhead's heart against his back; even his encounter with Sasuke had taken its mental toll on him, shutting his adrenaline rush away from him.

He could no longer feel the fizzles of his own chakra, and a part of him wondered if ninja called this chakra exhaustion.

He didn't even know how many miles he'd been running before he'd collapsed, raising a cloud of dust around him that burned through his lungs painfully.

Kyuubi's thick layer of red chakra had disappeared, evaporating into the air in a crimson cloud of smoke, together with all his energy. Gaara's body felt so heavy on his that he'd barely enough strength to keep on staggering forwards –his determination the only thing that kept him from passing out.

Gaara was alive. Naruto himself was alive. They were _both_ alive, and that was the only important thing.

Gritting his teeth, chocking on a mouthful of blood, Naruto felt abnormally numb to the pain racking through his body, not even his bleeding wounds, wrists, and ankles were hurting anymore.

Everything was dull, and that was what kept Naruto walking… the fact that he could no longer feel his own body.

He had to keep on moving. He could reach Suna, and there both would be safe.

No matter the black dots in his eyes, no matter that his eyelids felt so heavy he had to fight against the darkness threatening to take him away. No matter the strain.

A part of his subconscious tried in vain to warn him about the chakra surges approaching fast, but he was too lost within himself to even notice, let alone recognize them.

He was too weak.

One foot after the other, Naruto kept on moving. He would not give up.

Never give up…

Something attracted Naruto's attention from the sand at his feet and he looked up, tired eyes having a hard time trying to focus on the sudden appearance of six figures in front of him.

'_What…,'_ blinking the sweat and blood away from his eyes, the blond looked hesitantly at them, blurred figures gasping as they saw him.

One of them ran closer to him, and Naruto found himself looking into a pair of pearly white eyes. At first he felt a pang of fear (_because white eyes with darkness inside had been haunting his mind just as much as crimson red had during his captivity_), but even through his blurred vision he could tell those eyes meant no harm… they were familiarly warm, instead.

Only two could have such eyes… and…

"Ne… Neji…?" he groaned out.

Not even the relief (_caused by the wishful illusion of his friend being in front of him_) could reach him, as darkness finally won control over him, and he slipped into unconsciousness.

……………………………………………

It was him.

_Him._

**Naruto.**

Neji had the image burned into his mind as he ran forward, the image of a being that was Naruto but something else as well… something raw… _Kyuubi_.

It didn't matter.

Crimson chakra, it was the only possible explanation.

But then, the explosion told him something had happened –Naruto's chakra had completely disappeared.

What could have happened?

Neji recalled the image of Naruto, taking in the massive bleeding wounds, his torn clothes, and most of all, his tired eyes. He'd been through hell, of that the Hyuuga was sure.

But he'd escaped… he was free, just like Neji had hoped.

"Neji!" Lee was fast in reaching his pace, trying to stop his friend. "Please, stop! What happened! What did you see!"

"Lee! It was Naruto! **Naruto**!" Neji didn't stop running as he spoke, searching frantically for various details that could help him find the exact place he'd seen Naruto. "He's safe! He escaped from Akatsuki!"

Lee skidded to a halt, chocking on his breath, eyes wide in shock. "What!"

Kakashi and the other three managed to catch up with the two teens, only to find a pale Lee staring wide–eyed at Neji.

"Neji, stop," Gai ordered seriously. "It's an order…,"

"No," Neji said. "He needs us! I saw him! He's alive! Naruto is alive!"

Kakashi felt something take a grip of his heart and clench it painfully as he stared at the teen in front of him, who was smiling.

Neji was smiling; for the first time in many months, Neji was smiling contentedly.

"The chakra… it was him, it was Kyuubi! I don't know how it is possible, but I saw him! It was Naruto!"

Kakashi didn't really know what to say. He'd believed firmly in Naruto's death, he'd seen his body in Itachi's arms. He'd felt it was his fault that another of his dear ones had died and he couldn't help them.

So Neji's words shattered something in Kakashi's mind.

He didn't know what to think, what to say, how to behave.

He could not accept the teen's words as being true, but he couldn't say the Hyuuga was lying, since he obviously was not.

Then… what?

Had Neji snapped in the end? Was Naruto's death too much for him to accept? After all, Naruto had been the one to bring Neji back into the light…

There was no time to think anything anyway, as Neji stopped dead in the middle of an empty sand field.

Kakashi could hear Gai and the others gasp in shock, their eyes glued to something that was obviously in front of them, and he ever so slowly turned his head.

There, in front of him, was Naruto.

And not a ghost, but _him_, **real**, gasping as blood trickled down from innumerable wounds on his body. Clothes reduced to dirty, ruined pieces of cloth barely hanging from his battered body, with blood everywhere, forming a trail that ran from his feet and disappeared in the distance behind him, slowly drained into the sand.

Blond hair was covered with dirt and more blood, and Kakashi's mind panicked at the sheer amount of the red liquid –there was more around and on the teen than could be _in_ him. And the wounds, the blackish and purple bruises all over his skin, up to his face, his pale complexion standing horribly against them and the blood.

His eyes were open but clearly unfocused, as though he was ready to drop into unconsciousness, the pain and the strain visible in the blue orbs.

What scared Kakashi the most, making him forget the shock and the relief of seeing his student still alive (_alive, he was still breathing, in front of him like a resurrected ghost, breathing, and standing there and it was **not** an illusion_), his heart pounding in his ears drowning away every other noise, was the fact that he could not feel any chakra coming from the blonde.

But he was there.

Naruto was there. Alive.

He'd somehow pulled through, returning from death, and the silver haired Jounin, whose eyes had been dry for so many years that he could not remember the last time he'd cried, felt tears burn at the corner of his eyes… both of them.

'_Naruto…,'_

Shikamaru, TenTen, Lee, Gai, and Kakashi were frozen solid, not able to take their eyes away from the figure of their friend as he stood there, his entire body trembling and shaking. They couldn't speak, the shock being too much for them to take.

Naruto was alive in front of them, looking as if he'd returned from hell, and they didn't know what to say.

Neji was the only one that could move. He felt energized, filled with a giddy sensation that made him want to yell out, as his heart had never felt this happy before.

His friend had returned, just like he thought he would. He'd been doubted a lot, but now he'd been proven right. Naruto was here. Alive. Everything was going to be ok…

Running towards Naruto, for the first time Neji realized that the blond was not alone –on his back was the unmoving body of Gaara, looking like a broken doll. The redhead wasn't in the best shape, but was surely looking less battered than the blonde.

Naruto had been carrying Gaara from god–knows where until now? With his current appearance? It looked almost impossible, but it was the truth.

Neji knew it.

Naruto had saved Gaara.

But as blue eyes tried to focus on him, the raven haired teen could see Naruto was on the verge of passing out. He could already see his knees buckling under the combined weight of his own body and Gaara's.

Only a word escaped from his bloody lips, calling Neji back from his thoughts.

"Ne… Neji…?"

Then Naruto's blue eyes rolled backwards, and he fell into the Hyuuga's waiting arms.

"Naruto? Naruto!" Neji panicked, as he could not feel any chakra in the unconscious body of his friend, and he knew how dangerous that could be. Without chakra, Naruto could die.

Kneeling down on the ground, the raven haired teen managed to separate Gaara's body from Naruto's, and started checking the wounds frantically, not knowing what to do.

They needed a group of medic–nins, and there was no time to waste.

Neji's panicked yell brought the rest of the Konoha–nin out of their stupor and, in the blink of an eye, all of them were around the two unconscious teens, knowing the shock and the relief would have to wait.

Kakashi felt cold but in control as he moved Neji out of the way, kneeling next to his student and checking Naruto's pulse at the same time as TenTen checked Gaara's, sending out a trail of chakra to prod Naruto's own reserves.

For a second, the silver haired Jounin could only think that Naruto was real under his fingers, not an illusion. Then he concentrated.

He could feel a feeble heartbeat, slow and barely there, but at least there was one. But they had to move fast, because Naruto was void of any chakra, and Kakashi could tell that even without asking the Hyuuga for a confirmation.

'_Now that you have returned to us, Naruto, I won't let you die,'_ Kakashi gritted his teeth. "How's the Kazekage?"

TenTen lifted her pale face and nodded, "He's fine. His chakra patterns are a bit off, but he's in no life-threatening danger."

"Kakashi, how's Naruto?" Gai kneeled next to Kakashi, staring in wonder at the blond, his eyes trailing down the vast amount of wounds and bruises on the young teen's frame. Whatever he'd been through surely hadn't been nice, not at all.

"He's suffering from severe chakra depletion… there isn't even chakra coming from the seal… something has happened that we can't see just be looking at him, and I don't like the vibes coming from his ankles and wrists at all," Kakashi bit his upper lip under the mask. "Gai, Lee, you're the faster among us… pick up Naruto and Gaara and take them to Suna as soon as possible, they need to be treated now."

Kakashi didn't want to let Naruto out of his sight, but he knew that, in order to stay alive, the boy had to reach Suna. Without Tsunade and her medic skills available, they needed the next best alternative.

Gai and Lee nodded; the man carefully picked Naruto up from the ground, grimacing at the lack of response from the teen, and Lee, with the help of Shikamaru and TenTen, put the Kazekage on his back, feeling a faint blush appear on his face because of the warmth the body provided against his own.

Kakashi, Neji, Shikamaru, and TenTen stared as the two disappeared.

Suddenly, Neji fell down on the ground, the rush of adrenaline leaving his body. Shikamaru kneeled near him and looked at the smile the Hyuuga had on his face –unnatural on his face, but beautiful and warm.

"Naruto… is alive," Neji whispered. "He's back."

Shikamaru closed his eyes, still in shock. He would never forget Naruto's appearance, not in a million years.

"To think… not only did he survive the Akatsuki, when we all thought he was dead… but he was also the one who took back Gaara…," he commented, surprised at how unsteady his voice was.

Only then did Shikamaru realize he was crying.

TenTen, who hadn't been really any acquaintance of Naruto, could only stare… knowing just how much Naruto's return meant for all of them, and could feel tears form in her eyes as well, just by looking at her two friends.

Kakashi himself wasn't looking well at all, his hands trembling slightly without him being able to still them. He hadn't regained control of his own body or of his mind, but he still shook himself out of his thoughts; he wanted to see Naruto again.

"Let's go," he ordered the three.

…………

The darkness had changed, and Naruto felt it clearly without even having to open his eyes or shift around; there was a chilling cold his body was well aware of, but at the same time, not a real coldness.

It felt more like a breeze that was lashing at him from the inside, and not outside, on his skin.

Naruto opened his eyes, and the sight in front of him was what he'd been expecting, something he'd not been able to see for months, maybe even years since he'd never returned there, not even once as he'd trained with Jiraiya.

A corridor, a long corridor enveloped in shadows. He knew where he would end up if he were to move forwards.

His mind, his skin, even his senses recognized where he was, but this time, too much had happened for him to care; too much had happened to him, and he felt no need to speak. Maybe he was welcoming that darkness, too, being separated from it for so long.

Then, he felt it. Something was wrong.

Usually there was silence. Kyuubi only spoke if he saw Naruto in front of the gate, allowing the teen to reach him (otherwise the blond wouldn't even make it this far)… but now, there was a soft noise. Insistent and becoming louder as every second passed by.

His senses were working, not dulled out, and he smelled and heard water dripping against stone… the smell of rotten flesh and crushed stones… something that hadn't been there before.

Something was wrong down here… and he had to force himself to move.

Surprisingly enough, he couldn't feel pain. Maybe his mind wasn't keen to show his real wounds there. It was almost a blessing. Because right now, he needed all his mental energy.

Walking down the long corridor, as familiar to him as the streets of Konoha (_even though he had been away for so long he feared he would not remember_), Naruto noticed something was deeply wrong, something was going on and he didn't like it.

Was it the seal?

He was aware there had been a change in his seal.

No, that wasn't it.

But the landscape had never seemed this wrong before.

He could feel it in his bones, the entire place was slowly dying, rotting away… what could be the cause of that? This was inside him, and his mind ruled here, just like _his_.

The stench of rotten flesh was becoming more and more overwhelming with each step he took forward, until Naruto could no longer walk, too disgusted, his stomach twisting and turning, wanting him to run away.

To not look.

Something was going on.

'_This is my mind… I have to go! What if he's escaping?'_ but Naruto knew already this was not the case. Kyuubi was not going anywhere.

It was worse.

He moved again, refusing to give in to the disgust, refusing to throw up, no matter how strong and utterly atrocious the smell was… he had to see.

The sight wasn't what he was expecting either.

The giant room, with the cage right in front of his eyes, was almost entirely covered with water… water that was of a horrid, putrid colour, water to the point where he knew he would drown if he dared to step into it… water that was not water –as thick as blood was.

And the walls were slowly breaking, small pieces falling with loud dropping noises into the liquid… everywhere now. Even behind him. And the water was everywhere in front of him, only the corridor, that was a bit higher, hadn't been reached yet.

He could no longer see inside the bars of the cage, the only visible thing was the seal… different, stronger, crackling with energy waves.

But everything was ruined.

The bars were rusty, of dark reddish and greenish colour, sickly contrasting against the pure white of the seal, with black and red ink; from the other end of the gate, no life appeared at all… but he could feel his presence.

It was wavering, and it was not healthy.

"Kyuubi!" he called.

Why was he feeling guilty for damage done to the demon that had destroyed Konoha? Why was he feeling pity for the fox, even though he'd done nothing but terrible things in his freedom, and even afterwards in his prison?

_But he was._

A pair of red eyes glowed from behind the bars, holding so much hatred Naruto was almost taken aback –but he felt detached from the sight. The hatred was not against him.

As his eyes accommodated to the glowing and putrid light, Naruto finally was able to see the fox. Kyuubi was half submerged by the filthy, repulsive liquid, only his head and tails standing above it.

How could he stand it? The touch of the water? It was… sick.

And the walls kept on crumbling… everything was falling down. Decaying.

"**You,"** Kyuubi hissed.

His voice was low and rough, and Naruto felt too clearly the weakness etching into it. Where was the demon's chakra? He'd felt it so clearly when running from Akatsuki… he always felt it when visiting the fox… but now there wasn't even a small wave of killer intent flowing at him, no chakra trying to force his way out from the prison.

Kyuubi… Kyuubi had no chakra.

"What… what happened?" There was concern in Naruto's voice.

Why concern?

Because he was Naruto.

"**The seal,"** Kyuubi rasped, eyes glinting. The defiance was still there, but Kyuubi was obviously tired.

After a moment of confusion, Naruto understood.

It wasn't the Yondaime's seal… because no human could kill Kyuubi, not even with another set of sealing kanji. But it was too easy to understand. It was the Akatsuki Leader's seal, which separated Naruto from Kyuubi, cutting off the life force the demon used from Naruto's own chakra…

The Yondaime's seal allowed Kyuubi's conscience to remain.

Had the seal resisted some more…

Kyuubi would have died.

Or maybe not died… maybe only drowned away. It was even worse than death.

The entire room was in a massive state of decay, Naruto could see it. It needed the demon's life energy, but right now, as Naruto had taken away all the energy of the Youko to escape from the Akatsuki, there was no more chakra he could utilize to keep himself alive. And Naruto was still recovering from his own wounds.

Naruto had taken away Kyuubi's only safety.

If Kyuubi were to die inside him, Naruto would not die, but their chakras were connected… he wouldn't come out of it without a scratch. Maybe he would even fall into a coma.

Lost forever.

Naruto didn't want to die, but at the same time he didn't want the fox to die either. No matter what Kyuubi had done before, he was already paying for his mistakes… he would live forever inside him, and die there. With him.

Maybe… maybe there was a chance. The blond remembered his offer to Kyuubi; he remembered the truce he'd tried to create with the demon… by joining forces. He'd completely forgotten it due to Akatsuki, but now…

Now it was the only way out.

"Kyuubi!" he yelled.

His voice echoed through the heavy air, dulled out by the crumbling walls around them.

A low growl was his only reply. Naruto knew he had to work fast. He was unconscious, his wounds were surely being treated, but he was in his mind. And there was Kyuubi. And he had to move fast… he could feel that he had no more time. No amount of healing would stop this decay unless it done from the inside… here and now.

He shuddering at the thought of what might have happened had he been a moment too late…

"I can help!" he yelled again, fighting off his nausea. It didn't matter now.

A wall started crumbling into the dirty water. Kyuubi's bloody eyes were open again, staring at him.

"I can share my life energy!" he didn't move from his spot, the water was reaching him too fast. "I remember I offered you a truce! Can't you see it? We need each other to survive!"

"**Fool human,"** Kyuubi growled. It felt like a rumbling sound, vibrating through Naruto's frame… but there was something in the demon's tone that vaguely resembled respect.

Naruto didn't lingered on the thought, as Kyuubi spoke again.

"**You wouldn't need me… why are you offering to save my life? Why, after everything you went through because of me? Wouldn't it be better if I were to die or disappear into the recesses of your mind?"**

Naruto stopped for a moment.

He'd left Akatsuki's underground prison with his own strength. He'd freed Kyuubi's chakra by using his own alone. He was strong, and he'd shown it to himself and the Akatsuki. He didn't need Kyuubi to survive…

But he wanted to save Kyuubi nonetheless. There were things he could do only with the demon's power, because he was too young, and there were too many things he had to do and he wouldn't have much time to train and get better without the fox's massive, inhuman chakra.

And he pitied the fox. No, not pity. Naruto hated being pitied, and he knew the demon wouldn't want it either. But he… he understood. Once he'd been free, and now he was caged, forever, and without hope to ever get free… not after the new development with the Yondaime's seal.

The blonde knew what the fox was feeling, because he'd been trapped as well, caged like a wild animal, for months.

It wasn't but a fraction of what Kyuubi must be feeling, years inside him, but he could understand. It was horrible… all hope vanishing.

Everything falling into darkness.

Not even Kyuubi deserved this.

He could not speak, all the words he wanted to use evading him as he searched for them, because it would look like pity, it would be rejected… what if Kyuubi really wanted to die, so as to escape his prison?

"I… it's wrong. I want to create a truce between the two of us… I want an alliance!" Naruto searched frantically for the right words, as he watched helplessly as more of the walls crumbled down.

Everything was shattering. He needed to do something, but he couldn't step near the cage without the consent of Kyuubi.

"**You shouldn't be a shinobi… you're too nice to be one,"** Kyuubi scoffed. Again, there was something else in his voice. Not hatred. Not spite. Not disgust. Naruto could not recognize the tone. **"You're willing to save the life of someone who destroyed your village and would do it again… without thinking it over."**

Naruto did not falter. He strongly believed in giving everyone a second chance. Haku had one. Zabuza had one. Gaara had one. Neji had one. He would offer it to Sasuke over and over again, until the raven haired shinobi took it.

He knew he would offer it to everyone.

Because no one had ever offered it to him.

He'd been shunned by his village, not respected, not cared for, not loved. But Iruka had offered him a hand. Then Sandaime. And as he grew up, understanding more and more about the people around him…

He'd given a second chance to everyone who still hated him.

Because Kyuubi had done wrong, and Naruto could understand the hatred of the villagers and the shinobi who lost someone to the demon.

But Kyuubi might deserve a second chance.

Even…

Naruto shook his head, as an image of Itachi appeared in front of him. He would understand… one day he would. But now, Kyuubi was more important.

Naruto smiled. He simply smiled, and he directed it at Kyuubi.

"Everyone deserves a second chance," he said calmly. "Offer me your chakra. Let me get strong by using it. Let me use it as much as I can… and I will allow you to come out in battle," there was no hesitance.

He would do anything in exchange for Kyuubi's chakra and alliance. After all, Kyuubi could not escape the seal, he could not take over Naruto's mind, because the blond would never let him, and because the seal would prevent this from happening. And because Naruto _felt_ it.

He could allow the demon something in exchange for something else. He would still be in control, but…

"I will try to change this landscape… I will not bother you, and you will be able to share something of the outside world… even though you will never get free. I don't like this. I know how it feels."

Naruto was staring straight at the bloody eyes, with nothing but determination and defiance.

Kyuubi stared back. There was silence between them as, all around them, the walls continued to fall down, and the sickly water continued to raise.

The demon was… impressed.

Not by his speech… because the young human was just a dreamer. His hopes would be crushed by a reality he seemed to overlook. Kyuubi was disgusted by his innocence.

No… Kyuubi was impressed because Naruto would keep on standing back up. For a human, his strength was astonishing. Kyuubi knew many demons would rather die than go through all the pain Naruto had been through.

But Naruto was still there, allowing foolish words to come out of his mouth.

And over everything else, Kyuubi was amused.

No one had ever tried to ally with him. No one had ever dared to speak this way to him, one of the strongest demons existing.

Yet, this stupid human had. Not once, but many times.

For a human, Naruto was strong.

And demons respected strength. Any type of strength.

He started to laugh. Half drowned by the water (which would keep him barely alive, conscious, but forever still, without the possibility of moving, speaking, or even thinking… like a soulless doll), seeing what had been his entire world for the last fifteen years crumble around him, slowly taking him near the end of his life…

Kyuubi laughed.

Naruto was surprised to hear his laugh, but those eyes were still fixed on him, and something flickered inside them. Like…

Acceptance, maybe.

There was no need for words. The blond teen knew Kyuubi had accepted his truce without him having to actually say that.

Taking a shuddering breath (_he hadn't been aware he was holding… or that his hands were trembling_), Naruto looked at the dirty water, and stepped into it. His mind was already fighting off the decay with all his will power.

Because he was determined. He was strong by himself, and strong with Kyuubi. Because he'd survived the worst. Because he'd made some kind of alliance with a demon… and no matter what, it still was an improvement. Naruto wanted to become a Hokage.

Because this was how it was supposed to be, after all.

And the water started to recede.

……………………………………………

At first, he didn't know where he was –everything felt distant, and he could hear nothing around him; his eyelids were heavy and his mind felt drowsy, not willingly to wake up.

Brief flashes of memories were plaguing his consciousness, confusing him so much he just had to wake up, because he could not remember what had happened… he could not remember where he was.

Forcing his sleepiness and his fatigue away, Naruto managed to open one eye, feeling something above his other one that prevented him from opening it; for a moment, he could see nothing but a white blur, as his other senses were still dull from the pain and the strain, but slowly the images returned into focus, and he realized he was staring up at a white ceiling.

… white?

Something was wrong, Naruto's mind supplied. Akatsuki's undergrounds had never been white… there wasn't this much light, not at all.

"Naruto?" The voice was soft and warm… no one amongst the Akatsuki would have possibly called him in such a way.

The blond closed his eye again, trying to put a face to the voice next to him, and with a jolt he realized it was Kakashi's. Suddenly, everything that had happened before he fell unconscious rushed back to him, including the distorted image (that he'd definitely thought to be a mirage) of Neji's white eyes staring at him.

Including the decay inside his mind… decay that was now completely gone, leaving him weak and tired. More tired than he'd ever been before.

He'd escaped… he'd managed to escape from the Akatsuki… but how had Neji and Kakashi found him? What had happened?

"K…," his voice didn't come out as he wanted, his throat was so dry it hurt. He coughed lightly, and it felt like swallowing shards of glass. Where was his strength? He felt so weak…

He couldn't even turn his neck, but he wanted to see his sensei. He wanted to see his face so as to confirm he was free.

"Naruto… don't speak, you're still weak," Kakashi's tone was soft, and for the first time in a long time, Naruto felt tears of happiness pool in his eyes, even more so as he felt a calm touch over his hair, Kakashi slowly patting him.

How much he'd craved for this warmth… telling him everything was fine. He was safe.

Without speaking, Naruto mouthed his questions, sure Kakashi would be able to understand and give him some answers.

"_Where am I?_"

There was a pause before the hand that had been patting him was pressed against his forehead, cool against his feverish skin… the blond relishing the comfortable touch before focusing on Kakashi's voice.

"You're in Suna… you've been sleeping for the last three days… the doctors told us you would need up to a week to regain consciousness, so we weren't expecting you to wake up this soon."

"_We?_"

"Me, Team Gai, and Shikamaru were called here to take Gaara back from Akatsuki," Kakashi chuckled. "Seems like you beat us to it."

"_How's Gaara!_" Naruto tried to convey his urgency to his sensei, a flare of worry for his friend overshadowing all the questions he still had to ask.

"Don't worry, he's perfectly fine, woke up two days ago, and he's being pampered by his siblings as we speak."

Naruto relaxed his tense muscles, finally accepting the truth. He closed his eyes again, deaf to Kakashi's pleads to not go back to sleep, and soon he slipped away in the darkness again, welcoming the rest.

This time there wouldn't be a crumbling sound mixed with a disgusting stench, nor nightmares. He was safe.

……………………………………………

Sakura slowly made her way up the stairs towards the Hokage's office, holding a pile of paperwork in her arms, sighing every once in a while; the pink haired girl didn't look like the weak kunoichi she'd been three years before, as she'd asked for Tsunade's apprenticeship and had been trained by her for the last few years.

Gone was her usual weakness and hesitance, she was now a strong kunoichi, training under the best medic–nin existing. What had done the trick was Naruto's determination in bringing Sasuke back –Sakura had realized she was just deluding herself by thinking she could be appreciated without working for it.

She'd wanted to take Sasuke back, but she could not let Naruto do all the work…

Sakura sighed. Her thoughts went again to the blond that had taught her more than she could ever admit; a friend she'd despised for so long, but she'd seen his true self.

Naruto was willing to give up everything to bring their friend back because he'd promised her he would.

Sakura felt this was also her duty. Becoming strong to help Naruto take Sasuke back to where he belonged, no matter how much time it would require.

Only now… Naruto was dead.

He would never keep his promise, so it was up to her. She would not cry in a corner, sobbing because she was weak; she had every intention to keep the promise she'd made to herself.

'_To honour your promise Naruto, I will bring Sasuke back,'_ Sakura thought again.

The familiar suffix was now gone.

Strengthening her determination, Sakura clutched the papers in her hands and moved again towards Tsunade's office, thinking she would go and visit the Memorial later in the morning.

Passing Shizune's desk, the pink haired teen waved at her with a smile, earning a tired one back. The other apprentice of the blonde woman had been dealing with many angered reports concerning the meetings Tsunade hadn't attended in the last few months, but things were finally calming down again… the memories were still painful, but allowed them to move on with their own lives.

Opening the door without knocking, Sakura was ready to start yelling at her shishou –thinking she would find the Godaime Hokage sleeping on her desk like usual– but stopped dead.

Tsunade was standing next to the window, reading a paper she had probably received from a bird moments before, and tears were slowly pouring down her cheeks, even though she didn't seem to be aware of it.

"Tsunade–shishou?" Sakura let the paperwork fall onto the nearest chair and approached the older woman with a worried look on her face, not understanding why Tsunade was crying so openly.

Her surprise grew when Tsunade turned towards her with a shaky smile, handing her the paper she was reading.

Seconds later, as her green eyes moved over the few lines written hastily there, Sakura let out a gasp, feeling tears roll down her own face.

"He's…," she sobbed, suddenly hugging Tsunade who hugged her back.

'Tsunade–sama,' was the simple line that caused their reaction. 'Naruto is alive.'

……………………………………………

**StarsOfYaoi:** as to why Sakura seems mature and older… is because no matter how much I hate her. This fic is not about what I think. She is not a weak girl. Not after the three years. And for the love of realism, she's growing too.

Also, I am sorry if it was kind of… cliché… but hell. Naruto was thought dead. There wasn't a better way to have everyone know.

… review? Because I can finally see where I am going.


	21. Progression

**Thanks to all the reviewers! And HUGE thanks to my BETA Silence in Nightmares!**

**StarsOfYaoi:** I noticed it's been a while since I last updated, but Real Life and other fics took priority for me… I hope this chapter won't make you disappointed, even though nothing happens. New things are pooling under the surface, and soon enough, you will know…

……………………………………………

**Next update:** I don't really know…

**Rating**: M (or is it higher?)

**Summary:** Kyuubi's secret out. Akatsuki attacking. Fighting for strength, and falling for your ex–best friend's older brother. Maybe Naruto will have to deal with more than he imagined…

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, **_angsty_**, torture, and such. Mental torture as well. Flames will be used to warm up food. OC warning as well.

**Disclaimer**: Not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

……………………………………………

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 21: Progression**

_Naruto relaxed his tense muscles, finally accepting the truth. He closed his eyes again, deaf to Kakashi's pleas to not go back to sleep, and soon he slipped away in the darkness again, welcoming the rest._

_This time there wouldn't be a crumbling sound mixed with a disgusting stench, nor nightmares. He was safe._

…………

For the first week after his rescue, Naruto simply let himself sleep; sometimes he would wake up, almost as if in need of making sure he was still out of Akatsuki's clutches, and he would ask for some water before falling asleep again.

His body had been drained of energy from the long exposure to Kyuubi's chakra, and he needed all the rest he could get, and no one was going to deny it to him. Also, both his and Kyuubi's chakra were almost completely gone, and he needed to rest.

Even during his dreamless sleep, Naruto could feel the comforting, soothing touches of Kakashi's hands on his hair, calming him down; he knew that the silver haired Jounin rarely left his side, not even when he was deeply asleep, and the blond was grateful for the concern.

After all, he didn't want to be left alone, especially now, and he needed to know there was someone with him all the time.

That he wasn't in the darkness anymore.

In his short, conscious moments, Naruto couldn't help but feel secure and at peace –after so much time trying to protect himself, with no one else to help, it was wonderful to let himself go, knowing someone else would be there, keeping him safe.

It might seem stupid and childish, but Naruto relished this thought.

Sometimes, as he slowly swallowed his water, he could vaguely feel Neji and Shikamaru standing next to the wall, smiling at him whenever his unfocused eyes would shift towards them, and Naruto knew they cared as well.

He was glad, glad for everything. He just needed to rest a bit, and then he would be as good as new.

Day and night, around his sleeping form, doctors and healers would work and monitor his progress, preventing his body from collapsing for lack of strength and chakra, and helping some of his deeper wounds to heal without using jutsus or chakra (since the worst ones would not completely heal if not with time).

Seeing as his body had been almost completely depleted of chakra, for the first three days the medic–nins had worked on giving him their own, having noticed that Kyuubi was not working along with them –it looked like the demon was resting as well, the reason unknown to all of them.

And just as Naruto had thought, Kakashi never left his side, unless it was to eat or sleep; the silver haired Jounin knew that showing so much care for someone was unusual for him, but this situation was special –he felt like he'd been offered another chance.

The day his sensei died he had not been able to help in any way; just like he had been too late in helping his best friend (_a best friend he had neither recognized nor accepted as having until it was too late_).

But Naruto…

Naruto was stubbornly clutching to life, and Kakashi was not going to waste this opportunity.

He would never have to feel guilty for not caring anymore; he would not let himself shy away from caring for someone.

In Konoha, news of Naruto's reappearance had travelled faster than expected and all his friends knew already, from Sakura and after that, from Lee. Many had wanted to leave the village and move to Suna to assist him, especially Sakura, Hinata, and Iruka, but Tsunade –who had secretly wanted to go as well– had denied them permission, knowing it would attract too much attention.

Akatsuki was surely searching for him again, and they probably would notice if Konohagakure's ninja were to move in crowds towards Suna. Also, Konoha was still being reconstructed, and they needed all the shinobi they could get –Kakashi's stay in Suna was a stretch already.

Whilst Naruto's death had brought about many changes in those that had been close to him, bringing the shy Hinata out of her shell (_she would not let her weaknesses get the better of her ever again_), and making Sakura see just how wrong she had been, making her train harder to get strong, as well, now Naruto's reappearance had brought back hope in everyone's hearts.

Lee, Gai, and TenTen had also returned to the village, leaving behind Shikamaru and Neji with Kakashi to take care of the blond, since the two shinobi had been opposed to their return –Lee had asked to stay as well, but Gai did not let him.

Kakashi had been restlessly watching over Naruto, fussing over him much like a father would (and that had earned him many 'youth' comments from the Green Beast), not caring at all what the reactions in Konoha would be like.

As for the Kazekage, well, Kakashi had been shocked to see how time could change someone.

Gaara was completely different from the young, psychopathic teen that had almost killed Sasuke, Lee, and Naruto three years previously, not to mention the many shinobi he had effectively killed without even blinking an eye.

The redhead now had matured, calming down enough to let everyone see that his eyes were not filled with bloodlust anymore, or insanity.

Gaara ended up loving his village like Naruto did his, and by what his older brother had said to the Leaf–nin, he had also protected Sunagakure from the two Akatsuki members with his last resources, and was caught because of that.

And to Kakashi's complete surprise, Suna seemed to love him back.

There were no glares against the Jinchuuriki, no insults; Kakashi had seen the looks in the villagers' eyes when Gaara walked through the streets with his emotionless glare, and they looked… content.

Kakashi was sure that, one day, Naruto would gain the same love from Konoha, as well.

The Copy–nin had been surprised to see how much Naruto had changed as well, noticing how similar the blond was now to his sensei… to the father whose identity Naruto was as yet to be informed of.

Despite how stupid it might seem, it had been hard to notice, even though there were few blondes in Konoha, but then, Kakashi had never seen his sensei when he was young, something that only Jiraiya, Sandaime, and a few others in the village had.

But now, the more Kakashi looked at Naruto, the more he could see his sensei in him, minus the brash personality.

The villagers had never noticed, their eyes blind with rage and hatred when they stared at Naruto, and after all, the village saviour had ended up being more of a myth than an actual person.

But Kakashi had noticed it after a couple of missions, reaching the conclusion by himself, and Sandaime had admitted it.

The love for ramen, the smiles, their bright and innocent behaviour… believing in their nindo, they would do anything to accomplish their goals… and friends always came first.

It was hard to admit it to himself now, but Kakashi had been sour towards Naruto because he'd been angry at his sensei; he had never told him his wife had been expecting a child, and he had sacrificed himself for the sake of the village.

Naruto had never known the pain he caused Kakashi simply by… living.

And it was not just that. It felt like a big, sick joke. Naruto reminded Kakashi of Obito. And even if Kakashi could accept the similarities with Yondaime, he could not stand to stare at Naruto and see Obito.

The friend he had failed to save, the friend he had lost before coming to fully accept his feelings.

He had been selfish and egotistic, and now he wanted nothing more than to make up for his actions, knowing he had been stupid all this time, doing what his sensei had always told him never to do.

Yondaime… he would be disappointed in Kakashi's decisions, but the Sharingan user was willing to change.

Kakashi hoped Naruto would still want him as a teacher, even now.

A brown eye turned to the sleeping figure on the bed as Naruto shifted, his face scrunching up a bit; Naruto shifted again, and finally he opened his eyes, groaning softly in pain. Even though most of the wounds had been healed by now, he still had many broken bones, and stiffness, not to mention…

Kakashi's eye unconsciously moved towards Naruto's wrists –such a show of stubbornness made him reconsider Naruto greatly. The blond had obviously pulled four wards from his ankles and wrists, and Kakashi knew how dangerous something like this could be. Naruto had been reckless, and he had ignored pain that would have killed anyone else, and even managed to run for miles, too.

Probably already weakened by the wards (that had given him nausea and dizziness) Naruto hadn't even realized the exact amount of damage he'd done to his own body, but then again, Naruto had escaped from Akatsuki…

Maybe that kind of pain was the only way out. No one knew yet what had happened to the blond in those months.

Kakashi had been there when the medic–nins had started cleaning away all the blood. Their horrified expressions in finding the ripped skin, and the flesh underneath, and the burns and the horrible scars had worried him more than anything else.

Anyone else under the same amount of pain and shock would have died already, but Naruto was there, very much alive. Kakashi wanted to know what had happened to him in the Akatsuki undergrounds.

Something else that shocked Kakashi was the seal that apparently had been keeping Kyuubi's chakra sealed away from Naruto, probably the same one that had hidden his chakra patters, making him seem dead.

Kakashi remembered just how well it had worked.

Ocean eyes were open again, focusing on Kakashi's face as the older shinobi smiled down at the teen.

"Naruto, how are you feeling? Do you want some water again?" Kakashi was used to the blonde's brief moments of consciousness, and grabbed the glass from the near-by table.

Naruto nodded, accepting the glass with grateful eyes, and cleared his throat twice, shifting in the bed for a better position.

The silver haired Jounin observed him, wondering if Naruto had enough sleep and would stay awake –he had many things he wanted to know, after all.

"Kakashi–sensei…" Naruto's voice was raw, but not strained anymore, a sign that the painkillers had helped take the pain away and that the rest had done him good. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"Give or take, seven days," the other replied, his shoulders relaxing slightly. It looked like Naruto was done with sleeping and would stay awake for a while. "How are you feeling?"

"… Relieved," Naruto admitted with a small smile.

And he really was; more than happy, or anything else, he felt relieved. He was safe again and he'd waited so long…

Kakashi smiled at him, his only visible eye curving upwards.

"I am glad you're back with us," he whispered, so low Naruto had to strain his ears to hear him.

Naruto smiled up at him. _Me too._

"Are you too tired to speak with me a little?" Kakashi asked, sitting a bit more comfortably on the chair.

Naruto blinked, and shook his head, "No, I feel fine… and I want to know what happened too… I was tired before, but now it's ok," he assured his teacher.

Nodding to his student, Kakashi let a smile linger on his covered lips again, relieved to see that, despite everything, Naruto's spirit was still here, burning as usual. After three years, now he could look him in the eyes.

"All your friends are glad you're ok, the news travelled back to Konoha as soon as we took you here," Kakashi's voice was laced with relief he didn't bother to hide.

Naruto's smile was warm; he wanted to thank the silver haired Jounin for his words and for just being here, but he knew that he would not accept it. After all, Kakashi was known to shy away from such trivial things as feelings and the like.

He simply nodded, acknowledging his words.

"Naruto, we want to know what happened," Kakashi's voice turned serious, his eye darker as he leaned over a bit, staring at the blonde. "You returned when you were thought dead, with such wounds that anyone else would have died in your place, and even carrying Gaara on your back–,"

"Gaara?! How's Gaara?!" Naruto straightened up in a flash, coughing as he changed his position, being hit by a wave of nausea.

He had suddenly remembered about the redhead, and he wanted to know if he was ok.

Kakashi helped him sit up comfortably, knowing he would have to tell Naruto what he wanted to know before he could have his own answers.

"Calm down, Naruto, Gaara is fine," he said, patting Naruto on the head. "You should be more worried over yourself, after all you've done… the Kazekage is fine, he started working again five days ago, completely healed."

Naruto let out a sigh of relief, flopping back on his pillows.

"What about… what about… _Shukaku_?" he asked then, feeling a cold grip in his chest.

He feared Akatsuki had been able to extract the demon anyway, even though it was not probable, since Gaara was still alive.

"Shukaku is still inside him, but strangely it's not acting up on him, since Gaara slept for a day straight and the demon didn't try to control him…," Kakashi frowned; this was something else he would have to ask Naruto about.

Naruto smiled again, thinking about it a bit.

"What about…," he started, but noticing the stiffening of Kakashi's shoulders he bit his lip, knowing it was Kakashi's turn now. But he had one last thing he wanted to know, and he had to ask it before anything else. His blue eyes darkened a bit, and he took a shuddering breath. "How long?"

Staring into his serious eyes, Kakashi knew instantly what Naruto had wanted to know. _How long have I been with them?_

"Almost three months."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock, as he took a shuddering breath, thinking about the real amount of time he had been prisoner in the Akatsuki's clutches.

He stared down at his trembling and bandaged hands for a while, digesting the news, whilst Kakashi simply waited; after what felt like hours, Naruto shook his head.

"So long…," he muttered.

Memories of what had happened to him flashed in front of his eyes as he relieved them, the pain, the darkness, the dread, and…

Eyes widening, Naruto shook his head wildly, halting his thoughts as Itachi appeared in his mind.

'_Not now, not now, not now,'_ he chanted in his head.

It was not the time to feel remorse and guilt for what he did. He didn't want Kakashi to find out… the thought that someone might find out filled him with shame.

Staring up at Kakashi, he finally took a good look at his former sensei, noticing for the first time that he looked fairly older. Not as in three years of not seeing him had caused Kakashi to suddenly age.

It felt as if he had aged all at once, and Naruto couldn't think of a cause for this. Unless… but Kakashi would never feel the weight of Naruto's death upon his shoulders, would he?

Naruto was sure it couldn't be; after all, this was Kakashi they were talking about… though… he was surely acting warmly with him, now…

"Naruto, what happened?"

Naruto gulped down his anxiety, knowing he would have to explain what he had been through.

For a second he could not remember how it had started, but then his eyes flashed, "Ah… Akatsuki attacked me and Ero–sennin when we were moving towards Iwagakure…," he started, searching for the right words.

It felt as if years had passed instead of few months, and he felt suddenly very tired. Retelling everything as he could remember it, from the capture to the sudden, blinding pain, Naruto tried not to shudder and fall into the darkness of his memories, knowing he was safe now.

Fingers gingerly brushing against his abdomen, Naruto also spoke about his suspicions of a second seal over the first one, and about the strange seal that had been put on him by the Akatsuki's Leader.

"We had your seal checked up, and it seems like it," Kakashi agreed, nodding. "Yondaime seemingly thought about the possibility of someone trying to break through the first, and decided to add a countering effect."

Unknown to the other, both mentally thanked Yondaime, knowing Naruto wouldn't have been alive anymore, hadn't it been for him and his foresight.

Naruto continued explaining where they had put him, with only Itachi controlling him (_gulping down in embarrassment as Itachi's voice echoed in his mind, taunting him, the memories that would be kept hidden from Kakashi and everyone else_), his fingers clenching around the sheets of the bed.

"Naruto, what happened to your wrists?" Kakashi wanted a clear answer on this, as only assumptions couldn't work well, in these situations.

"Ah!" Naruto felt vaguely relieved that Kakashi wasn't suspicious (though, of course he wouldn't be, but Naruto felt oddly guilty, and exposed even though in reality he hadn't slipped anything out). "Akatsuki had some kind of barrier around their undergrounds, and I couldn't get Kyuubi's chakra and…," he scratched the back of his head and winced at the pain flaring through his wrist and arm.

Kakashi's eye was still fixed on him, making him squirm in uneasiness.

"And… well… I needed my chakra… so I ripped away the wards," he gulped, knowing somehow he'd done a very, very, very stupid thing. He smiled sheepishly, waving his arms a bit, "But then it helped! I managed to Rasengan the barrier and then I went to find Gaara and he was looking dead and I was angered and…," he gulped down some air and blushed, looking away. "And then… I don't know how, but the seal over my stomach broke and I could use Kyuubi's chakra…,"

He fell silent, peering up to see shock pass through Kakashi's visible eye. Somehow, he became good in reading people's faces, after all.

Maybe he had something to thank Itachi for…

The blush deepened a bit.

Kakashi was torn between two opposite needs –hug Naruto, even though this would probably make him look a fool, or smack him on the head for his idiocy. Kakashi was glad to have Naruto back, after all.

He compromised by ruffling Naruto's hair.

"You can consider yourself lucky, Naruto, what you did could have killed you… wards come with strict rules and if taken away without dispelling their effect is even worse."

Naruto nodded frantically, knowing it would never happen again.

"What happened then?" Kakashi asked, but Naruto blocked him lifting his hand.

"Please, can I see Gaara? We can continue with Gaara here, but I need to see him!" Naruto still had in mind the image of a lifeless redhead on the ground in front of him, and he could not shake away the fear that he was not well, no matter what Kakashi had said.

He wanted to see Gaara and make sure with his own eyes that he was ok.

Kakashi stared at him for a second, then nodded, standing up. Naruto didn't seem drowsy and he was looking up at him with pleading eyes.

Normally, it would be impossible to see the Kazekage like this, but the redhead had requested to be informed by Kakashi the moment Naruto was awake, and the silver haired Jounin would do just that.

A bit unwillingly Kakashi moved out of the room, leaving Naruto alone.

Staring at his sensei's back disappearing behind the door, Naruto relaxed on his pillow, feeling his hands tremble for another reason than pain; he had been tense until now, and his shoulders were hurting him.

He felt almost dirty, and expected Kakashi to point at him in disgust for what he had let Itachi do any moment now; the weight of what he'd done was finally falling on his mind, realizing just how wrong it had been.

It felt like he had everything written on his face, and every moment passed by he expected someone to come inside the room and accuse him of betrayal.

Locked inside a prison in the middle of nowhere, with no other human contact but Itachi, it had felt like the most normal thing in the world for him to let Itachi have his way… but now that the world looked a lot brighter and he'd met again with Kakashi and the others, it felt wrong.

Dirty, and wrong, and…

"_You are not betraying your village, there is nothing wrong."_

Itachi's words didn't make sense, but at the same time a part of him kept whispering that what he'd done had nothing to do with his village, or his friends, and had everything to do with him and his needs.

But the main part of his mind was screaming in anger against himself. Screaming so strongly that Naruto wanted nothing more than to forgot what had happened.

He had betrayed his friends, taking pleasure from an enemy, and he felt so deeply ashamed he feared everyone could see the guilt in his eyes. And he was even more ashamed by the fact that even thinking back to what he did, he could not deny it had felt good.

He had liked it, he had _wanted_ it.

To be owned this completely… shivering despite himself, Naruto was sure that if he were to be given a choice, he would allow it to happen again. This was what scared him the most.

Though, he remembered how Itachi had looked. To him, everything had been nothing but a show of power, that was clear, up until the last moment.

Naruto still didn't know why he'd asked Itachi about the hatred. It felt… right. There were many things he wanted to know about the Uchiha, and he could not pull away from this desire…

The desire to know. He could (_he would, and would have to_) push away the memories of the many times he'd allowed himself that sin, ignoring their existence and moving on as if nothing had happened (_it was still a fresh wound that he could not face –yet_).

But… his deep interest for Itachi and his brother remained.

He was a curious person, but this kind of curiosity was created by a different reason than a simple desire to know.

He would do everything he could to understand, just like he had wanted to before leaving Konoha, three years before. Itachi interested him; everything about the raven haired shinobi moved something inside him that asked to be known.

Naruto had seen the pain in someone's eyes many times (_Sasuke felt pain, a pain so deep that it was mistaken with hatred_), and many times he'd seen the hatred (_Orochimaru's eyes were filled with such emotion, and Gaara's… a hatred against the whole world that continued to burn no matter what…_) but he had never seen such an empty look before.

No one ever had the eyes Itachi had. Empty of everything. But just as he'd thought, Itachi had once hated, so strongly that now he couldn't feel anything else.

Naruto wanted to know why. Why the emptiness, why the flicker in his dark eyes when the blonde had mentioned the hatred.

Why Itachi didn't like to be touched, too.

Maybe he was a fool for trying to understand everyone, trying to search for the good in everyone's heart, even those who would never deserve it… but after seeing the worst in people, Naruto wanted to believe in second chances.

Naruto had never deluded himself in believing he would be loved by his village. It would hurt too much if he'd wished for that; but he was slowly gaining the respect of his precious people and that, for now, was enough.

But he also knew that shinobi were all the same. Yes, he followed his village and they called their enemies evil, but indeed, all shinobi followed the same rules, all shinobi killed to survive, all shinobi worked for their own reasons, and he was not going to delude himself in thinking he was good whilst others were not.

He had his own way of living, just like everyone had. Haku taught him that, by deciding who he wanted to protect and what he wanted to believe in. He'd never known exactly why Haku followed Zabuza before, but the expression in the teen's eyes was too clear, and only now did Naruto realize what it was.

Love and devotion. Every shinobi had their own ways that no one else could understand, and that maybe no one else would accept and respect… that much Naruto knew. He himself had decided to go against most rules and live the way he felt.

All in all, the first teachings he had received was that, from Haku, of all people –one that had been his opponent.

Naruto was old enough to thank Haku's memory for this. And now, he could not consider his opponents like monsters and killers anymore, because that way… it would mean he was one too, and that his friends and teachers and precious people were too.

Even Kyuubi had acted the way he had because of his own life… it might look wrong in people's eyes, and evil and biased… but Naruto knew that human rules never applied for demons.

A sudden flare from his seal made him blink, and he briefly wondered if Kyuubi could listen to his thoughts and had agreed.

Naruto frowned as he carefully leaned on the pillow again, his mind flashing memories of another Uchiha, much to his displeasure. The other Uchiha he had met as he was running from Akatsuki.

He'd seen _Sasuke_.

Sasuke, _his_ Sasuke, whose name brought a flare of pain straight to Naruto's chest. He'd finally seen him, after so many years, and he had been unable to do anything. With Gaara on his back, and the little chakra that still remained inside him, Naruto knew he could have done nothing at all.

But, what was Sasuke doing there, of all places?

Hard words were still clear in Naruto's heart and they hurt, but the same determination to bring him back was just as strong.

"_Do you think you deserve to even speak to me?"_

Naruto's eyes shut close and he clenched his hands into fists painfully, sending a jolt up his back.

"_I can sense your weakness! Not even that form can give you power? What are you? You can't even touch me like this. I won't waste my time enslaving you."_

Sasuke…

He had been so dead tired when the raven had appeared in front of him, but even with his blurry mind he'd seen Sasuke's eyes… how he had become after three years with Orochimaru. Naruto had thought there was still time to save Sasuke, but just seeing him like that…

Naruto knew the time was not enough anymore. Sasuke was already losing himself, whilst Naruto trained to be able to save him.

And still…

"_Become strong, Naruto, because we will be seeing each other again, and that day will be the last for our friendship,"_ Sasuke had said in the end. _"Now you're not even worthy of my attention."_

But Sasuke's eyes had changed. Briefly, they had changed. There had been a flash of what Sasuke had once been, deep inside… _deep_ inside.

Maybe there was still a chance, after all.

Definitely, especially since Sasuke himself had promised they would meet each other again. Naruto was sure the Sasuke he knew was still there, lost inside his rage and pain, and he would reach to him and bring him back.

"Un, Sasuke, I will definitely bring you back… and find something more about your family, all right!" he smiled to himself, feeling the well–known fire burn in his chest once again. This was what helped him move on –a reason to keep on fighting and never give up.

After all, Sasuke had been his very first friend.

……………………………………………

Moving down the corridor, Kakashi couldn't help but shake his head in relief… he didn't know what he'd expected to see when he'd waited so long for Naruto to wake up, but a part of him had been afraid to be faced with the fact that the blonde teen could have had become another person entirely.

Maybe it was because of the three years Naruto had spent away from Konoha, or maybe for the many months under the control of Akatsuki, but Kakashi felt so relieved he couldn't think about anything else.

Naruto was, in a way, more mature, and different, but still the same Kakashi had known. Not much had changed, and the innocence in his eyes had remained unchanged…

He was glad of this.

Staring in front of him as he walked, Kakashi couldn't help but feel like a huge weight had been lifted away from his shoulders and chest, and he breathed in relief, feeling the tension disappear completely.

For the first time in months, as he headed for Gaara's office, he took his orange book from its pocket and flickered through the pages, a smile forming on his lips.

One thing he didn't know was if Jiraiya knew what had happened at all, since the man had disappeared from Konoha days after Naruto's 'funeral', and had never reappeared again after that, probably because of his own deep pain.

The silver haired man hoped Tsunade had been able to contact him.

In a way, the comfortable weight of the book in his hands reminded Kakashi of the past, and of the things that were his fault. He'd preferred to train a future traitor instead of Naruto, and even Sakura had given up on training with him in order to study under Tsunade…

He'd been a real failure as teacher, but at least now he had a chance. He would take up Naruto and Sakura's training again, and for once be what his own sensei had been for all of them.

With this in mind, Kakashi reached Gaara's office door and knocked soundly, clearing his throat and waiting for the permission to go in; slowly opening the door, Kakashi slowly nodded at the Kazekage of Sunagakure no Sato, who glared up at him with an unreadable face.

"Kazekage–sama," Kakashi spoke politely –even though the redhead was younger than he himself was, he still had a higher position than him, and the only person that would be able to speak with him on an equal level was Naruto, and no one else. "Naruto is awake, and wants to see you."

Something flickered in the green orbs of the shinobi as Gaara stood up, passing next to Kakashi, and lifting the gourd onto his back with one single swipe.

Kakashi felt a smirk tug at his lips again as he followed the teen out of the room, looking amusedly at the shinobi around them as they strolled down the corridor.

Some of them were still staring with a flash of fear at the red haired teen, but the majority of them were staring with respect, admiration, and even love –something Kakashi would have never have thought to see in such close–minded people– towards Gaara, and the silver haired teen once again hoped that one day Naruto would be stared at with the same feelings.

Gaara didn't look like he was acknowledging the stares and the newfound feelings that were clear in their eyes, but his shoulders were not tense, and his emotionless expression had nothing to do with the hatred-filled one of years before.

Reaching the door of the infirmary, Gaara threw a look at the Jounin that was following him and raised one invisible eyebrow, mentally wondering whether to let the man follow him into the room or not.

He wanted to see Naruto, see him alive and awake, speak to him and hear his voice again, and a part of himself wished for that to happen when they were alone, but he also knew that this Jounin was Naruto's sensei and that he cared for the blonde a lot.

Suppressing the strange feeling of protectiveness and blaming himself for being stubbornly stupid, Gaara shook his head and motioned for Kakashi to enter with him.

……………………………………………

There was darkness.

Deep darkness, and no sound that could break through the tenseness around him.

Everything felt heavy, even the air, almost as if it was pressing against his chest as he breathed. Darkness was curling around his body, but strangely, this thought didn't cause him to grit his teeth as he would have before…

As if something had changed.

Before, the darkness had bothered him, even if he ignored any feeling brought to his senses, even if he hid his heart and his mind away, only wanting to be strong, but now, the darkness meant nothing to him.

Yes, he was sure of that. Something had changed, and it had happened ever since the news of Naruto's assumed death had been delivered to him by a smirking Orochimaru.

Crimson swirling eyes closed for a moment, and then changed to black, fading into the darkness around him.

His mind was cold, cold but more focused than it had ever been before, as if everything returned again to sharpness, as if the mist that had been on his heart and mind had finally lifted and vanished from him.

Yes, everything was because of Naruto.

Sasuke knew he'd felt despair the moment he'd known Naruto was dead. The despair had been so strong it reminded him of the pain he'd felt when he'd seen his family's corpses laying in their own blood.

That had been the moment in which he had realized just how strong his feelings were, and that he would never be able to completely remove them, at least not the ones regarding Naruto, of all people.

Naruto, who he had tried to sever a bond with, failing miserably not once, but twice.

The despair for his death, knowing that he had never wanted to lose him forever. Knowing he would have never been able to kill him only for his revenge.

And in this sudden sharpness of his senses and his mind, he had realized something else, too.

From seeing Naruto alive, knowing he was not dead, knowing he had escaped from Akatsuki, bringing the Sunagakure's Jinchuuriki with him too, Sasuke had seen everything turn into focus again.

Orochimaru would never give him what he wanted. He would never go against Akatsuki only to keep his side of the contract with Sasuke… he had never intended to. Itachi would never be killed, and Sasuke had renounced to his body for nothing.

Orochimaru was close to the end of his three–year term, and would soon want his body, ignoring everything else, because there was no need to go against Itachi, his goals were different. He didn't care.

And Sasuke's consciousness would disappear and he wouldn't have had his revenge.

It was painfully clear now.

So clear he uselessly wondered why he hadn't realized it before.

But now, he couldn't step back anymore, and he didn't want it; his power was still not enough to over take his brother, and he could not hope to have more time than what he already had. Just as it was now, inside him the need to finally bring an end to his brother's life, accomplishing his need for revenge, was flaring inside his chest so strongly it hurt.

Time was running low on his part, and there was nothing he could do. He didn't have more time, he didn't have the strength, he didn't have…

"Sasuke–kun…," the low voice of his new 'master' made him inwardly cringe, where before he would have rejected the sound and the disgust away from his mind.

He could not deny the harsh truth anymore, knowing that a part of him would have wanted to keep moving blindly forwards, ignoring what was to come, because right now, he could almost feel the time left run through his fingers away from him, and still he hadn't realized his goal.

But now…

Something in him wanted his attention. He felt calmer now, as if he were looking at his situation with a clear mind and everything, and he knew that with the little time left, he still had a lot to do.

There was no way he would allow Orochimaru to take over his body before his revenge was done, but now…

Sasuke's eyes turned colder as he looked at the snake man in front of him, whose eyes were smirking at him with a glimmer of dark, morbid amusement.

He knew what Orochimaru had in mind for Konoha, and he knew what was going to happen. He still had one chance, and he would not waste it.

He was back, and he was determined more than ever to accomplish his goal –no matter what, he would get what he wanted.

……………………………………………

The room was quiet for a moment, blue eyes staring into deep green ones as both Jinchuuriki looked at each other in silence; Naruto's last thread of tension disappeared from his shoulders seeing that Gaara was really fine, and Gaara's own shoulders dropped down a bit.

Finally, after days of worry –though he would never admit it aloud– Naruto was awake and apparently fine.

"I'm glad you're ok," Naruto let a smile brighten up his face as he waved a bit at the changed redhead; after three years, he could see he'd changed a lot, and the new, calm look in those green eyes told him a lot about his inner self as well.

Gaara's face betrayed nothing as he took a seat next to the bed, whilst Kakashi leaned against the wall with the book in his hands, seemingly disinterested but in truth attentive to what the two would say.

"Thanks," was the first thing that left Gaara's lips, shocking the hell out of Naruto, who was speechless for some moments before the smile reappeared on his face.

"It's nothing… I'm sorry for not arriving before… I'm sorry for…," there was a flicker of pain clear in his eyes and Gaara noticed it, knowing exactly what he was thinking about.

The pain… the pain of the extraction. It had been almost devastating, and he'd blanked out after countless hours where it wouldn't stop, welcoming the darkness that took its place.

"It was nothing," he replied, though such pain had shocked him out of his own normal self. Gaara wondered if Naruto had resisted as much as he did through the pain, and knew instantly that probably he'd resisted a lot more than he had. "I always knew you were alive, so I never stopped waiting for you to come back."

Naruto's eyes widened and he blushed lightly, detecting in the redhead's voice a bit of warmth towards him. He was glad to find out Gaara had changed so much, but was still the same, and that they were still friends, after all these years.

"Thanks," Gaara let his lips curl up in a small grin.

He'd missed Uzumaki Naruto, alright.

He could also see that something was different in the blonde's eyes, but he could not understand what had changed. He could not pinpoint the feeling, so he chose to ignore it. Naruto was there, and he was still the same, and he was glad enough for that.

One of the Kazekage's hands moved forwards almost without his consent, a bit uncertain as he stretched his fingers towards Naruto's face, slowly brushing against one of his cheeks. Naruto was too shocked to speak but did not move, smiling warmly at the first willingly contact Gaara had ever had with him.

The hand retracted quickly, almost ashamed, but Naruto's smile reassured Gaara nothing was wrong, and the redhead's face turned a bit warmer.

"Are you feeling well enough to come out a bit?" he offered to the blonde, motioning for the door.

Naruto's eyes brightened up considerably, "Of course! Kyuubi is finally healed enough on its own to start healing me, so it's ok!"

This time Kakashi couldn't keep quiet, and lowering the book from his face he stared at his student with a serious eye.

"Naruto, what happened to Kyuubi?"

Naruto and Gaara both turned towards him, having forgotten his presence in the room, and Naruto unconsciously scratched the back of his head.

"Well… the Leader's jutsu… he blocked off Kyuubi's chakra from mine, and it seems that our pathways are too mixed together to be forced apart… so Kyuubi was dying since the chakra wasn't moving anymore," this was what he had understood about it, anyway. "So when the jutsu broke… well, Kyuubi's chakra and mine mixed and I was able to take Gaara and run away, consuming all of it."

Kakashi frowned, thinking about it. If Kyuubi and Naruto's chakra patters were mixed together, it meant it wouldn't be possible to separate them anymore, even though Akatsuki didn't know of this –they were now too fused with each other, and Kyuubi would not be taken away, not with this new discovery and the second row of sealing kanji Yondaime left on him.

Watching Gaara help Naruto out of the bed, after a while moving to lend a hand as well, Kakashi couldn't hide a cheery smile. After everything that had happened, there was still hope, and both he and Naruto could move back to Konoha.

He watched as Naruto tried to hop around, almost falling down on the ground face–first, complaining and laughing merrily at his own clumsiness, and his smile widened a bit.

He watched as Naruto clung to Gaara's arm with a smile, blue eyes sparkling with joy.

Yes, Kakashi had never been happier.

……………………………………………

**StarsOfYaoi:** KakaObi will live forever in my heart. Much love. And don't think Naruto's guilt won't be back stronger than before!

Also, something that will not be really explained in the fic is that Shukaku was being extracted from Gaara, but when Kyuubi's chakra interfered, the Tanuki demon felt the power of the Kitsune and retreated, knowing its proximity would mean death (by raw power and intelligence, Kyuubi is far superior to Shukaku). The presence of such opponent quieted the Tanuki down.

Review?


	22. Present

**THIS IS UNBETAED BUT UPPED FOR ITACHI'S BIRTHDAY, WHICH IS TODAY, 09–06–2007 – will reup BETAed version when it comes to me.**

**Thanks to all the reviewers! Please go read Endless Night's update too **

**StarsOfYaoi:** sorry for this long lateness on my part. I had some problems, and needed some time.

I underestimated Itachi's past. It needs one more flashback–thingy to be really completed.

And, for all the ones who wanted Itachi in this, there is a small part on him. I will speak more about him in later chapters, ok?

Now read and enjoy!

……………………………………………

**Next update:** I don't really know… but I'll try to return to one update every month or so.

**Rating**: M (or is it higher?)

**Summary:** Kyuubi's secret out. Akatsuki attacking. Fighting for strength, and falling for your ex–best friend's older brother. Maybe Naruto will have to deal with more than he imagined…

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, _**angsty**_, torture, and such. Mental torture as well. Flames will be used to warm up food. OC warning as well.

**Disclaimer**: Not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

……………………………………………

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 22****: Present**

_The silence was deafening._

_It felt like there had never been silence before; murmurs and whispers had been rumbling in the back of his mind, his subconscious masking them away from him, but they had always been there._

_Once more and again, eyes fixed on what was in front of him.__ It felt like he'd never focused on something this desperately, almost as if there had never been something this real around him._

_And it was simply what it was, nature, trees, grass and the eerie silence that didn't belong to him, didn't belong to this._

_There had never been silence where he appeared, because everyone had always whispered. Being it for appreciation, jealously, admiration or hatred, whispers had been there._

_Senses not fully grasping on… reality._

_Wind swirling around the trees, moving the leaves around and around, mixing __them all together until there was a single blur on undefined colour and he was staring at it… nothing clear, nothing standing above the rest._

_There was no difference in colour. No difference in existence._

_Had it ever mattered, when difference was the cause of his nothingness?_

_Soft droplets of dew __were falling into the small lake from the trees above, dripping down and disappearing, becoming one with the water. Mixing together water with water, and the differences meant nothing anymore… everything was one and one was everything._

_Was this the truth he could not see? That no one could see?_

_Was he in truth no__ different than… them?_

_But his eyes were not looking, his ears not listening. It was not that what he focused onto. It was not the outside he couldn't look away from._

_Everything but the sound of his own heart __**beating**__ was dulled away, everything above the sounds of his soft levelled breathing were mingled into one another…_

_Inside and outside, the cold was empty and the world had long since lost its appeal to him._

_Even in his perfection, __**especially**__ in his perfection, there was nothing else he could look up to… shallow meaning of his own incapacity. Perfection didn't mean absolute._

_Perfection didn't mean pure…_

_Perfection was just a ripple in the water… causing more ripples to be created. Never ending circle._

_Crimson eyes started spinning, the world blurred into crimson nothingness._

_Not even the crimson looked more than grey to him though._

_Lost into a whirlpool of confusing certainty, knowing that he would never stop spinning until… unless…_

"_Itachi of the Uchiha"._

_A voice known, a voice belonging to one of them._

_A voice shattering the silence that had been hurting his ears and his mind with so unwelcoming chaotic sound, the sound of a shattering world that existed only in his head._

_Crimson eyes widened as he focused on a shape. A figure. A man. And slowly his attention returned to what was in front of him. A person._

_It was another face, with a name he could not remember (it had never mattered then) but it was meaningless in its __**everything**__. Because they were, they existed, and he could not care about it, but couldn't move away from it._

_One of __**them**__. One of a multitude. A life devoted to nothing. Like the others, a pathetic sickly green._

_Eyes close, burning crimson fading away, head turned. It was harder now, not to show them. He wanted it, but he could not allow this, could he?_

_He wanted them all to see, see what he had become, see __what it meant to be strong, stronger than them, show how he had moved where they hadn't, reached heights they would never even look up at–_

_Show them the only emotion he could feel. The only emotion he had been allowed to cherish. The only emotion he could recognize and keep tight in his grasp._

_The only searing emotion he fed with his own spirit, every day more. To show the result of their acting, the result of his life._

_The night was approaching, and with the darkness coming nearer, he could feel his control slip away from his fingers… would it be __**so**__ bad to close his eyes and–_

"_The Uchiha Council wants to see you"._

–_let everything happen?_

_Itachi's face stretched in what could have looked a smile, had it not been so empty. So hollow. So–_

_The nameless face gasped and disappeared. Scared away._

_Itachi blinked slowly, tracing the lines of his own face to understand. Why had he been so scared? His eyes were still empty, and he'd smiled like he used to. Fingers tracing his lips._

_Only then Itachi did realize, he had not been smiling at all._

…………

_They were speaking, rambling, voices washing away until it was nothing but a blur of words and concepts and demands and everything, __about control, allegiance, Konoha and protection._

_Itachi could not understand any of them, his mind recognizing the words, the meanings, the essence, but not able to grasp any feeling connected with them._

_**Control…**_

_He woul__d never be controlled. He had never been controlled. He was used to do only what he wanted, considering his own needs and whims._

_**Allegiance…**_

_He didn't know what it meant to sacrifice what he had for someone else. He__ had not considered anyone enough to even think about it._

_**Konoha…**_

_He'd never felt attached to it, not able to feel something for a place devoid of rational mind.__ It was a place that couldn't give him anything. It was an empty place of black meanings and whose only interest was to preserve its own foolish pride._

_**Protection…**_

_He was a threat to them, words meant nothing to him since he could read underneath the underneath.__ He could never, would never, be able to protect something. He had nothing important enough to be protected anyway._

_It was almost amusing how they could speak without really understanding their own speech._

_They were blinded by power they could not have, thinking they could control him… thinking he would be their weapon forever…__thinking he was theirs to own._

_He was not mindless._

_There was a single answer possible now, and it was not the one his clan was asking him to say. He would not beg again, kneel in front of them only to show them they were his masters. He couldn't anymore._

_They were going to fall… calling death upon themselves, thinking they could control powers this enormous, and death was going to come, and swipe them away._

_Death. he was death, it was engraved in his name… just as he was supposed to bring insanity, darkness, disgrace and pain._

_No more words. Useless words. The truth was there in front of him, and only he could see it; the truth about words that would bind him forever._

_Everything had been fake and useless. But now Itachi could feel the reality that was standing next to him, objecting to the council's words._

_Everything turned smudged. It was that again… it didn't feel real._

_It was __then. With words that were spoken to him in harsh tones, trying to control him like a dog, a weapon, Itachi finally understood._

_There were no more words._

_He'd waited for no reason really, waiting maybe to hear something that could allow him to dictate a different verdict, understand why._

_In his perfection, he could still not understand… but this time, it didn't matter anymore._

_The words he'd been expecting, words that even he didn't know, did not exist._

_He stood up. He'd been sitting there for too long and he could not resist anymore. Watching and listening to rants like these only made his mind spin wildly, and his mask uncomfortable to wear._

_Where was his calm__ mind? Thinking about such things was breaking him too quickly._

_It was not a conscious decision. It was not a matter of closing his eyes and controlling his own actions. He had long since allowed his own mind to relent the control to __**that**__ feeling._

_It was burning inside him again, and now he could not…_

_He would not control it._

"_Uchiha Itachi, even if your father is the head of the council, we can't allow you to go unpunished for what you did… acting without respect for us, it doesn't matter if you killed your friend or not"._

_The world returned to its sharpness as Itachi's brain focused on the words that were being spoken to him. Blinking, his attention returned on his surroundings, his eyes moving to the old man in front of him._

_One of the elders, one of the Uchiha clan, one of them, and he was looking at him with arrogance, his eyes flashing with so many emotions._

_Emotions that were weakening him. Emotions that man allowed to play so clearly on his face and his eyes…_

_Itachi's only emotion was making him strong. Stronger._

"_You were in the ANBU but we ask you to drop out and come back here" the man stated. _'Come back where we can control you'_ was what he didn't add loudly._

_But Itachi heard it anyway. It was spoken not with words, but with gestures and looks._

_Come back where we can use you._

_Come back where our greed can be fulfilled by you._

_Come back where we can make sure you're ours… not Konoha's._

_Itachi's eyes flared crimson._

_It was burning._

_It was burning so much it was almost cold… it had been boiling under the surface like an inferno, growing stronger every day passed by._

_The hatred that was consuming Itachi's mind, the only emotion he had ever felt and recognized before, the only emotion…_

_Hatred for his clan._

_For those that could not see._

_For those that tried to control him._

_For those that tried to force him to submit himself to something he didn't believe into, in rules he could not follow, in things he found ridiculous…_

_Day after day passed watching with disgust as his clan sank and deprived itself of the pride it wanted so much._

_Day after day realizing they were hindering themselves, but most of all hindering __**him**_

_He could no longer look at the man._

_Everywhere he turned, he could only see them, their eyes, filled with the same emotions, their faces, and they were all looking at him. They were all the same, identical eyes, identical faces, identical destiny…_

_He could not stand it, it felt like everything was going to collapse._

_His sight blurred._

"_You will have to show your appreciation to the Uchiha council–"_

_A mere instant later his sword was pressed deeply inside the man's neck, passing through it from side to side._

_Blood exploded around him, drops twinkling in the dim light as they soared in the air, landing everywhere._

_On his hands, face, clothes, over the other ninja around him_

_Everywhere he could see the red was spreading, the feeling of a trembling and gurgling frame underneath the blade of his katana sending shudders up his spine._

_His hands were trembling as he turned towards the yelling Uchiha shinobi around him, as they cried and shouted and apparently stepped in to stop him._

_He could not stop. He would not stop. It was burning so much inside him it pained him, made him feel overexcited, eyes spinning wildly in Sharingan intensity, recording everything._

_Recording each single move as his katana fell again–_

_And again–_

_And again–_

_And blood covered everything in the missing beat of a heart._

_There were fifteen corpses around him now, slowly dying away in a sea of crimson blood at his feet, gurgling bubbles of saliva and air coated with the red liquid, open eyes staring in shock at nothing as they slowly dimmed away, covering with the thick layer of death._

_Itachi stared, every single instant burning in his mind forever, his hatred burning again. it was not enough. He needed more. He needed to move, his trembling body shaking as he tried to restrain the sudden urge to run._

_Breathing deeply, shuddering as his hands grasped the handle of his katana, he stared. They were dead. Just like this._

_So easy._

_But there were more. More to see, more to curse, more to look at. Observing in delight the moment of death in each and everyone's eyes._

_And then he was in the streets, not seeing faces anymore, only the same cold eyes over and over again as he moved through one person to the other, his katana slashing again and again until there was no inch of it that was not crimson_

_Until the ground was covered with rapidly freezing bodies, corpses, those that had been his family…_

_No family. No clan. Never again. the curse was finally spreading, demanding its victims. Sacrifices._

_The hatred burned again, demanding him more. It was not enough, it would never be enough_

_It didn't matter to him that many he killed were not even ninja. They were still Uchiha, blind to his real face, seeing only the mask and only now watching the real Itachi as he slashed them to dead, not smiling, not smirking, simply moving with no hesitation._

_He could feel no tiredness, no strain, his arm moving by itself, his legs carrying him faster than lightening, from face to face, to unnamed endless sea of __**them**_

_A small child that had looked at him with wonder, swearing he'd be as strong as Itachi was in the future, but that instead was just as arrogant as they were –a quick move of his arm and he was gone, his head severed._

_Children's skin and bones too fragile to take such strong blow._

_The old couple living down the main Uchiha street, who complimented Itachi for his missions but were never interested in anything but perfection –it took nothing to take their life away._

_Their bodies falling to rot on the ground._

_Itachi didn't feel anything. Each swipe of his blade meant nothing, each single movement bringing death to a person, but it didn't give him satisfaction._

_And then there was silence._

_Eerie silence that finally belonged to the place. After countless moments, after searching everywhere, wiping blood from his katana only to have it as bloodied again after mere seconds, it was done._

_They were all dead, corpses laying on the ground, unmoving, bathed in their own blood, finally understanding the enormous meaning of the curse they had called upon themselves._

_He had left only two people behind, there were only __those two that were left… and he would soon dispose of them, too._

……–……–……–……–……–……

It had been a shock for him, the first day Naruto had finally been allowed to step out from the hospital wing he'd been in. After two whole weeks there, there was no patience inside him anymore, only the strong desire to leave.

But it was not a one–sided desire. He'd been bugging nurses and doctors all the time, treating his daily recovery time like he did with wasted days –stubbornly demanding to be let out for training, and trying to find a way to get ramen.

Many times the passing nurses had found him doing push–ups against the bed, or flexing his sore muscles.

It was not like he didn't know the importance of resting and waiting to heal completely, but he felt the urgent need to see if he could still be at the same level as before. A part of him had been afraid of this… of losing his strength, of not being able to return to his complete healthy state –after all, Kyuubi had never been in such a close–to–death situation ever before.

He owed this to Sasuke.

If he were to be not at his best the day the two would confront with each other, it would look like he hadn't taken seriously anything at all, not the training, nor anything else, and Naruto was taking this seriously. Really seriously.

Fortunately for him, Kyuubi had recovered pretty fast from his own chakra depletion and the moment the fox had regained his normal amount of strength his own fast healing had kicked back in, aiding his body to regain strength sooner than expected.

Knowing that at least something was going the way he wanted was a relief for him.

The doctors had been fairly pissed off to find Naruto trying to sneak out from the hospital at least once or twice a day, ignoring the pain in his legs and arms and ignoring most of all the angered pleads for him to stay in his bed, and even though Kakashi should have been there to make sure of his rest, the copy–nin found it amusing to actually stay on Naruto's side, helping him sneak out –only to see him being taken back not even ten minutes later by some cranky nurse.

Kakashi felt much like an older brother, and despite all his previous mulling over things, he felt this way was the right way to act. Things would be different, very different from before, but not in a bad sort of way. And his smiles were just the tiniest bit truer.

Naruto wasn't one to be hindered by small things such as restraints and bitching from the doctors; he happily invested himself in inter–hospital training, much like his exercises in the Akatsuki hideout, but this time with a greater optimism.

He'd survived Akatsuki, he could survive the wrath of the doctors.

In the end, stressed, pissed off, tired out of their minds and ready to mentally collapse, the hospital nurses and doctors finally admitted defeat, allowing the blond to get out.

Of course, they had chased him down and drowned him in orders and recommendations, to not walk into big crowds, not linger under the sun too much, and had glared at the silver haired shinobi, placing Naruto under his responsibility, or Gaara's –which meant Naruto had to go everywhere with at least one of them.

That was why Naruto was making his way through the streets of Sunagakure with the Kazekage at his side, looking everywhere with wide eyes, staring impressed at the city surrounding him.

The first time he arrived there, three years before, he'd not been able to see it at all as he'd arrived late at night and Jiraiya had forced him to depart the morning afterwards, caused by Ero–sennin's latest visit to a local onsen.

Everything looked so… different, and new to his eyes, not like Konoha at all, and of course completely different from any other city Naruto had been into in his travels. A village created to hide in a desert, Suna had grown to match its surroundings perfectly.

Naruto was excited and happy, but of course half of this was to impute to the fact that he was walking and was not sitting in a hospital bed anymore.

The air was hot and oppressing, but felt nice, the warmth of the sun sticking pleasantly to his skin as he walked around, careful to wipe away the sweat from his forehead every once in a while, looking everywhere with the kind of curiosity only he could sport.

The first thing he noticed was that the buildings were of two types –small and round–shaped, around two floors of height and with many small windows, or really tall and square–shaped, with strange–looking windows with thick glasses, and the mix of these two styles made Sunagakure look exotic in his eyes.

The only thing that was the same for all buildings was the colour of the walls, which could go from shades of light brown to shades of dirty yellow; in the evenings when the sun slowed down the horizon, all the buildings turned of a dark eerie colour, blending completely with the landscape.

Naruto was fascinated by this.

But there was something that attracted Naruto's attention and shocked him more than Sunagakure as a village…

He started to notice this on the third day he walked around with Gaara (his company was much preferred to Kakashi's, since the older shinobi would simply walk around, grunting under his breath as he read his book instead of replying to Naruto's questions).

Naruto found out, much to his confusion and light embarrassment, that everyone looked at him as he passed. Not just kids, but also grown ups. It was not because he was an outsider, he was sure of this, since Suna was not a secluded place and it got its fair share of incomers, nor for his coloured clothes –he'd been forced to wear light tones to match with the strength of the sun.

Even though he'd been used to this in Konoha, the stared had felt different from the distaste, hatred or disinterest he was accustomed to.

Here it was somehow different and he couldn't understand.

He'd never been able to voice out his thoughts because it felt like he was being paranoid –but when he actually saw a group turning to look at him as he walked away from them, on his fifth day out of the hospital, he knew he couldn't let it go anymore.

"Hey, Gaara…" Naruto tried to attract his friend's attention, since the red head was walking at his side with no care at all, his stare fixed in front of him. "Why… why is everyone looking at me like _that_?!"

Gaara turned towards him, a small smirk playing on his lips, and shook his head in wonder at Naruto's denseness.

But before he could answer three villagers moved from the side of the street and hesitantly walked towards the two walking nins; two were girls, and both were blushing and shifting uncomfortably as they stared at both the blond teen and at the redhead, whilst the third was a younger child, who was looking up at the blond with wide eyes.

"Ah… Sumimasen…" Gaara's eyes narrowed a bit, but none of the villagers cowered at this –and in Naruto's book this made them really brave.

The little child looked up at Naruto and sniffled, "you're the one that saved our Kazekage?" he asked in a whisper, mouth opening in a 'o' of wonder.

Naruto laughed sheepishly, moving his hand behind his head in his usual embarrassed pose, "ah, that's not entirely true…"

"Everyone talks about you!" one of the girls exploded, clasping her hands together as she looked with admiringly gaze at Naruto, who was a good two inch shorter than her. "You're everybody's hero and…"

The remaining girl hastily pushed something in Naruto's hands, then both girls bowed, "thanks so much! you're awesome!"

Then both started giggling and pulling the amazed child with them they rushed away, leaving a blinking Naruto staring down at a chocolate box.

"Wha… what was that?" Naruto had a light flush on his cheeks, not really able to cope with what had happened, and as he looked at Gaara he found the Kazekage smirking at him. "Why…"

His flustered blush deepened without his consent at the smirk on his friend's face.

"You're their hero, Naruto" the redhead murmured.

"But… I didn't really save you and…" Naruto fidgeted, scratching again his head, but shut up when Gaara lifted his hand in the air.

"It's not just because you saved me" the redhead shook his head lightly. He had not thanked Naruto yet, but words like these were not needed between them –their uncanny ability to understand each other without speaking was not a trait Jinchuuriki alone had… it was because they were friends, and Naruto would have never accepted his grateful words.

Naruto blinked unsurely. "Then…"

"Naruto, they respect you. This village has changed from how it was before. People have been changing their opinions of me since I became Kazekage, looking past their former hatred and disgust only to realise the depth of my love for this place… and they started loving me back" Gaara's voice was low and calm as he spoke, but it held so much more than this –a hint of emotion that Naruto caught with ease.

He only told this to one person before, his brother, but speaking to Naruto made it sound much more powerful –Gaara wanted to make sure Naruto understood just how much he'd helped him.

"And they gave me a second chance, just like I gave one to this village… but who convinced me to give them one? It was you, Naruto. You're the one who made me accept this charge, you were the only one who truly believed in me, making me believe in myself as well, and in turn, you made Sunagakure believe in me".

Naruto felt a painful squeeze in his heart at the redhead's words. He'd never heard him spoke so much before, and his words felt like cool water, filling something in him he'd never realised it needed to be filled before.

"And they know, Naruto. You saved me, and this village, not just once. Giving everyone something, someone, to believe into. Naruto, Sunagakure respects you". Gaara fell silent, not wanting to add anything else.

Naruto's eyes widened as he stared around him. Noticing the smiles on everyone's faces, the warmth he'd missed at first, the gestures he'd unconsciously blocked out until then. Whispers and smiles and hushed words that were not meant to hurt him.

A man who had been cleaning a pair of shoes in front of his house nodded at Naruto, smiling, and next to him his wife smiled as well bowing a bit, both staring in satisfaction at the blond.

They were… they were thanking him?

Naruto's blush intensified as he shook his head hard. the bubbly feeling inside his chest was not going away. The fact that they were thanking him had another meaning, more important to Naruto than their gratefulness. It meant their love for Gaara was strong as well.

Looking around again, at all the happy faces pointing at him, he finally realised what he was feeling. This was it… this was how it was supposed to feel… Suna was recognizing him. They were thanking him.

But at the same time he knew he didn't deserve that.

All his training had amounted to nothing. Yes, he'd escaped from Akatsuki's hideout with his own strength, but in the end he had been forced to use Kyuubi's own powers and even strike a deal with the demon.

He had still a long way to go before he could finally feel ok with himself.

And even the grateful smiles Suna was reserving for him were enough to embarrass him. But he couldn't chase the bubbly feeling anyway, so he merely smiled and waved back at the people around them, all the while assuring himself one day he would feel strong enough to accept this…

To feel worthy of the first acceptation he ever received.

……………………………………………

He walked down the street without hurrying, calmly, not bothering to hide himself, as the cape he wore was enough to cover his face. He was far from any place where someone would recognize him, so he was relatively safe.

His cautious side asked him to be aware of his surroundings anyway, no matter how relaxed he could appear.

A pair of glasses underneath the cape caught a stray ray of light, glinting behind the shadows of his face. Yes, cautious. Kabuto had learned from his past mistakes, after all.

He'd been travelling from Otogakure through the forest for two days, directing towards a small village in the east where he'd been given appointment –he really didn't need to be late for that, but after all he was never late.

Even when the appointment had been made so many years before.

After five hours of running without a pause, as he was used to never rest unless necessary, the grey haired shinobi was finally reaching the village where his previous master had planned a meeting with him, and he had to slow down in a quiet walk so to not show his impatience.

There shouldn't be impatience when the opponent thought him under his strict mental control… and he would not break his cover, not now, not when the plans had not yet been uncovered.

After the few news they were receiving from their lesser spies around Akatsuki, Kabuto knew that Orochimaru would want something more reliable about the organization's latest accomplishments and failures, especially given the fact that Sasuke had returned with a considerably good mood from his 'trip' to Kaze no Kuni, and had not bothered to tell anything to them.

It was terribly upsetting, at least for him (since Orochimaru didn't seem to mind too much his future vessel's secretive acting), knowing Sasuke had somehow managed to know more than he on the Akatsuki, or so he believed –that smug Uchiha, acting high and might, smirking smugly whenever Kabuto was around, as if knowing exactly how to irk him.

Kabuto himself was intrigued and wondered just what had exactly happened with the blind idiotic Jinchuuriki, and if he was still in Akatsuki's hands or if he'd been able to escape… and what with the news of the Kazekage's kidnapping? Their spies had reported he was somehow back, but didn't know if he still had his demon or not.

Either way, he should have been dead.

Unfortunately he had to hide his curiosity since his master could not suspect he wasn't as loyal as he thought, and he had to act like a mindless puppet with him, unless he wanted his cover to blow and risk death at the older shinobi's wrath. Swapping loyalties was the thing he knew better how to do, but it was also one of his small, guilty pleasures.

The pleasure of a work well done, probably.

Looking around to assess where he was and where he would be meeting his 'master', Kabuto couldn't hide a smirk.

It had been five years since he'd seen that man, and he really didn't want to; though, Orochimaru had been strangely helpful, deciding to stay in Otogakure instead of following him –last time they had almost been discovered and he was the one risking the most, not the snake.

Thankfully, to cover everything up Sasori would be forced to reveal some of the news to Kabuto, so not to make Orochimaru suspicious… this was what Kabuto was counting on. He had the ending decision on what to tell to his current master.

What he would listen would be for his ears only… unless he decided to share, but he had to thread with carefully weighted patience.

The grey haired teen pushed his glasses up a bit in his usual calming gesture, and continued walking, passing through the village without attracting anyone's attention; he'd been getting pretty good at that, but it was easier since it wasn't a ninja village.

He had no trouble hiding himself, masking his presence if shinobi from other villages were to appear.

Looking up a bit without removing his cape, Kabuto noticed it was turning dark fairly rapidly, and quickened his pace, leaving the village behind his back as he finally reached the meeting place –Tenchi bridge.

It was not too big, to his surprise (he'd been expecting something a bit wider, since it was the only way to pass from one side to the other in a range of three miles or so), but it looked solid enough, even if it was wooden–made.

The place was perfect for a secret meeting, but it was also perfect for an ambush. It was a bridge connecting two sides of the mountain, where winds blew so strongly that they carried away both scents and voices.

On a twenty–feet range, the trees had disappeared, leaving the two sides bare and open to any kind of attack.

Ninja had to be attentive because the only way to know there were enemies around was by feeling their chakra, and if the enemies were strong enough, covering up their chakra signatures was not an impossible feat.

As it was, he had to act a bit disoriented and confused so to prove Sasori he'd really been under his control all this time, but without faking it too much.

Stepping on the bridge he could instantly feel the strong winds slam against his sides, threatening to steal away his cape; Kabuto closed one of his hands around the neck of his mantle to prevent this from happening, and moved until he reached the middle of the bridge.

Sasori would soon be there, he knew it.

True to his word, soon enough he noticed a hunched figure moving slowly his way from the other side of the bridge, and he tried to relax his shoulders, knowing he was nowhere the level of power needed to defeat Akasuna no Sasori.

If he played well his cards he would go back to Oto with the information Orochimaru needed and he would still be able to play in both sides of the fence.

Sasori inched slowly towards the still figure on the wooden bridge, twitching his hidden scorpion tail underneath his Akatsuki cape; at first sight it looked like his mind–control jutsu had worked perfectly and he had been able to remove it from Orochimaru's lackey as well.

This would prove to be informative, at last.

"It's been five years, Sasori–sama" Kabuto said mildly, his voice silken. He tried to appear innocuous.

"How do you feel now, Kabuto?" Sasori's voice was raspy but still as deep as ever. Kabuto was startled to realise just how familiar that voice was, even though an eternity had passes since he heard it last time.

The grey haired shinobi wondered once again what was underneath the shield he wore. He had never been able to see it. As intriguing as it was, he ignored the pull.

"Ever since the jutsu on me fell, I've been feeling a bit confused… my brain processes are… fuzzy" he stated, looking like he was admitting his current weakness without wanting it. He fidgeted, trying to appear uncertain as if under the effect of two opposite orders.

Sasori nodded, his expression not changing on the outside. On the inside, hidden behind layers of his protective puppet's body, he allowed a slow smirk to appear on his face.

This was proving to be really informative already, _indeed_.

Yes, it was just like he'd thought at first… but the organization had already taken it into consideration, so even though it had looked perfectly fine the moment Sasori had stepped on the bridge, now it was unfolding in front of his eyes.

Did Orochimaru think he wouldn't have been able to recognise the signs? He wasn't weak… and the snake this time had underestimated him a bit too much. It was maybe even too clear…

"What is Orochimaru up to?" he asked sharply, waiting with a secret smirk for Kabuto's reply. "And where is his current hideout?"

Kabuto bit his lip.

"We move from hideout to hideout, so not to be detected" he carefully replied, waiting a second as if to clear his thoughts. "We're currently moving to a hideout in the east side of Oto no Kuni, where we will be staying for the next month or so".

He wondered if he would be able to give out the wrong information and pass it as true until the very end.

Sasori's smirk only widened.

"I want the exact position of the base" he replied. "Together with all your others".

It was like a game of mouse and cat to him, and there was nothing better than playing a bit with your prey before killing it.

The fact was, the Leader had deemed more important to just leave the last two Jinchuuriki be for a while, at least until they settled down again; the fact that their attack to Suna had alerted the village and Konoha as well would cause them to raise their guards, thus going now to capture the Ichibi and the Kyuubi would be a hard feat even for Akatsuki.

Besides, even though Ichibi wouldn't give them a problem, Kyuubi was a different thing entirely and they needed some time to research on Yondaime's seal.

Not to mention the upsetting fact that they all needed to recover. Their chakra had been wasted out on two consecutive extractions, both gone terribly wrong, and even the deity that had been absorbing all the other tailed beasts was acting strange.

Even Itachi had been acting differently, if only lightly, something that was almost impossible to notice unless you were searching for it. And Sasori knew where and what to look for. Probably only the Leader himself had noticed something was slightly off, and maybe Kakuzu… but that was because the other man was just as observing as the red scorpion himself was.

Only time would unravel the latest tight knots. Sasori had all the time in the world… to amuse himself.

So, since they had to revert to lesser missions until the time was right again, the Leader had decided they could as well concentrate on eliminate the Snake, knowing he was a traitor to them and nothing but a bothersome annoyance.

That's why Sasori was here alone, whilst Deidara was playing in a nearby village with his clay–bombs –to assess if Kabuto had been freed from his mind control and to exchange information, lulling Orochimaru to a false state of security.

The answer was pretty simple in truth. Orochimaru hadn't realised yet, and Sasori himself had only been able to confirm his suspicions the moment he set his eyes on him, but Kabuto himself was a ticking bomb… and the smallest movement would make him explode.

The Snake had been a fool.

Sasori could say it without hesitation, as they had once been partners.

Orochimaru had allowed someone like Kabuto to be freed by Sasori's mental control, but had not counted on Kabuto's own intelligence. The younger shinobi had welcomed his mental freedom, acting like he owed Orochimaru, serving him, coming to follow all the Snake's orders without questioning not even once, but Kabuto had a mind of his own.

A dangerous mind that didn't belong to anyone else but himself.

Sasori could see this. It was a double–edge weapon.

Only time would tell who could gain the most out of this.

Again, a smirk appeared on his real face, as he proceeded to exchange information.

……………………………………………

Things had shifted. Considerably if it was him saying this.

Probably the _something_ that had been bothering all of them was slowly gaining importance… probably they had realised that even the smallest detail had been able to throw them off with outmost ease.

Things were tense. And not in the good way.

Things had changed to the points where everyone had noticed. The silver haired shinobi was sure, if he were to care a bit more, he'd say one could feel the tenseness in the air.

He wondered why in hell he had not noticed before. He was not blind. Uncaring, yes, brash, that too… but he should have seen the warnings.

Things were tense alright. Between all of them, at least since the double wasted effort. Knowing they had lost not just three days, for the first time, and then countless days trying to understand what had gone wrong… but three more days as well. Six days worth of chakra, being drained from them.

All for nothing.

It was unnerving enough.

He'd been complaining a lot, he felt they owed him. At least _this_.

But he had failed to see the warnings, and then, even though he'd been warned, he had decided he didn't care. Acting around. He should have been more cautious. But caution was not a word he had in his personal vocabulary.

Hell, Jashin knew caution was not even contemplated in his religion. Arrogance, yes, because his was the true, real God. Blood thirst, yes, of course. He was entitled to kill all his enemies in the goriest way, to appease his God with their sacrifices.

It was a requirement, and his personal pleasure. Jashin knew just how much pleasure.

Sometimes he wondered why to others, this sounded preposterous. Stupid atheistic people. He was the one in the right, not them, damn it all to Jashin's hell.

Blinking in confusion, was all he could do as he suddenly found himself staring in hard, glaring crimson eyes, spinning wildly at him.

The pure, raw anger inside them scared him, but he'd never voice that thought aloud for anyone else to hear, as the sole thought of it made him feel ashamed of himself. He was strong, belonging to the strongest organization existing, and he was immortal –there was no way he'd be scared by a _child_ like the one he had in front of himself…

But he was.

He could laugh at it on the outside, acting and covering up his uneasiness, but he couldn't lie to himself. It had never posed as a problem before though, as the sight of those crimson filled orbs had never been spinning with such… raw _something_.

He'd always evaded him, both staying away from each other, not caring, not bothering. You were never friend with your co–workers. It was not how it worked inside Akatsuki. Not at all –most of the time, distress and distrusts were the strongest feelings.

This glare made him regret his immortality for the first time in his entire life.

The glare removed itself from him, and he inwardly shuddered, feeling cold sweat run down his back. Hell if he knew what was going through the young Uchiha's mind. Hell if he wanted to know.

Probably he'd finally snapped, he had heard often it was a common trait in old families like his.

At his side, next to his own companion, who had been silently shifting underneath his black outfit, was the Uchiha's usual mate, his huge sword draped on his back as unwavering eyes followed the younger shinobi away from their sight as he turned the corner. He vaguely thought, as usual, that the huge sword was just compensation –but the joke held no importance. He still felt cold.

Those eyes, shit.

The Uchiha could be damned to Jashin's hell and back for all he cared!

"He's been particularly tense lately" Kisame commented offhandedly.

His voice held more than he spoke though.

It made him scoff.

"Impudent brat, he should convert himself to Jashin and stop acting all high and mighty".

Amused eyes turned towards him, as Kakuzu let out a raw sound that was his way to laugh. He felt irked as Kakuzu was again laughing at him.

Damn atheist. Money–lover. Corrupt soul… if only he could kill him and be done with it…

Not that he hadn't tried already. Be damned to Jashin's hell all his hearts. He'd never been able to take away all of them yet.

"Hidan, you'd better stay away from Itachi–kun's path and sight from now on" was what Kakuzu commented after his short barking laughter.

"Do you think I care?!" Hidan's eyes widened in hatred.

He'd never wanted to kill them all as much as he wanted now.

"He's been awfully tense" a voice coming from behind them made the three shift around, only to find Zetsu come out from the rock wall. "His control is wavering a bit" his other voice echoed darkly, but with a tinge of amusement.

Hidan wondered once more why he'd joined Akatsuki in the first place.

"We're all awfully tense" Kisame grumbled under his breath. "But you're not forced to go on missions with him".

Kisame walked away, following Itachi's trail and disappearing behind the corner.

……………………………………………

**StarsOfYaoi:** another small detail about Itachi's past… the name Itachi in Japanese means 'weasel' and it is known that in ancient Japan people believed weasels were unlucky animals who brought pain, disgrace and ultimately death.

**BELIEVE**** ME WHEN I SAY, I WON'T LET YOU WITHOUT AN UPDATE FOR THIS LONG EVER AGAIN.**

Well, review? Your reviews are like water for thirsty me…

Annnnd. OMG. I think I love Kabuto right now. And I disliked him before. :3 finally some sunshine over the last horrible chapters of Naruto.


	23. Amend

**Note I don't care if the leader of Akatsuki now has a real identity and a name. ****This fic started way before that, and I will keep MY Akatsuki leader. I don't think it'd be wise to go back and change now. Pein is hot, but he'd have no future with my plot. **

**SO SAY BYEBYE TO CLOSE TO CANON TIMELINE. FROM THERE ON, EXPECT NOTHING AND EVERYTHING.**

**Upped UnBETAed since I am waiting for my BETA :3**

**StarsOfYaoi:** my summer was no summer at all. I wonder where my free time went. Anyway, here's the new chapter! Are you happy? I hope you are!

……………………………………………

**Next update:** … in a month.

**Rating**: M (or is it higher?)

**Summary:** Kyuubi's secret out. Akatsuki attacking. Fighting for strength, and falling for your ex–best friend's older brother. Maybe Naruto will have to deal with more than he imagined…

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, _**angsty**_, torture, and such. Mental torture as well. Flames will be used to warm up food. OC warning as well.

**Disclaimer**: Not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

……………………………………………

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 23****: Amend**

There was no celebration the day Naruto came back to Konoha.

When Kakashi and Naruto walked through the gates and finally stepped into the village, no one turned around to look at them –there was no uproar, no insults but no happy welcome back either… life continued on like nothing happened at all.

It felt eerie silent, as even the whispers that had always been surrounding Naruto since he could remember were not there… and since no one knew, no one could glare at him in hatred.

To him this felt… somehow wrong, but at the same time, fitting. He knew no one was aware of his return, as Kakashi had advised the Hokage he didn't really know how much it would be required for them to get back, so no one knew –thus they were not ignoring him.

They simply didn't know he was back.

The silver haired Jounin had deemed safer to depart from Suna during the night, keeping a low profile and travelling as much as Naruto's current condition permitted them, only stopping to sleep and rest whether Naruto felt tired –and five days later, both finally passed through the Gates of the Wall.

The blond was quite fine with this. He didn't want them to stare. He didn't want to be seen and glared at by the villagers –the mere thought of how he was used to goat and bask in their attention making him sick.

Just having Kakashi look at him made him feel exposed and open to probation, his entire mind filled with the irrational fear that they could know (_your eyes can't lie, we know you betrayed us…_) that just by looking at him, they would unmask him. Reveal his actions –trash him away again.

All that happened, the capture, the attempted extraction, the unbearable pain, Itachi… now felt like it had been done in a dream, but it hadn't. He could not hide it away and never confront his actions because they were eating him from the inside.

Reaching Konoha by early morning of the sixth day of travel, Naruto passed through the Walls of Konoha detected only by the patrolling ANBU and the gate Guardians (_a couple of strangely familiar Chuunin, who had smiled at him as he walked by, confusing him with their warm welcome_).

Walking down the streets, staring at everything and realizing everything was the same as before made him feel melancholic and tired.

He was finally home, and yet… he felt like he was intruding where he didn't belong anymore, especially after the Akatsuki. This train of thoughts made him feel even more confused as he didn't even want to linger on this.

Covering his uncertainties with a smile, Naruto decided he would understand in another moment –despite the strange feeling he had, he still had missed Konoha greatly.

It clashed so horribly with Suna now, but he could not decide which hidden village was more beautiful to him.

Houses surrounded by trees, the scent of flowers and wild resin lingering in the air, enveloping the scent of people living and working in the village, the clattering noise of weapons and the voices of the villagers chattering around…

The familiar sight of the Hokage Mountain in standing up proudly in front of him, with five faces carved on it as they protected Konoha from above…

Yes, this was _his_ Konoha.

At his side, Kakashi was still walking, looking in front of him looking almost bored, and Naruto was glad the Jounin had not disappeared away in a cloud of smoke the moment they reached the streets.

"Naruto?"

The blond teen turned towards his sensei questioningly.

"Tsunade was not warned of your arrival so you probably should go there first" the man spoke in a sort of carefree way, and Naruto wondered why he would say that. After all, apart Tsunade and Iruka, he had no one else to go to.

His friends would probably be warned and come later, anyway, but first he wanted to see Iruka–sensei and Tsunade obaa–chan.

"Ah–" he tried to speak but Kakashi beat him to it.

"I'll send Iruka to the Hokage office myself".

Naruto's eyes lit up at that, and a second later he was already gone, running down the street towards the Hokage tower.

Kakashi sighed as he watched him move away, then closed his eye and disappeared in a cloud of smoke, headed to Iruka's house.

As he ran through the still fairly empty streets of Konoha, Naruto realised that his hands were mildly shaking. The fact that he would meet with Tsunade was making him extremely anxious, mostly because he knew that she could read him like an open book. And right now this was the last thing he wanted.

This time, he really had something to hide.

Not even realising he was already inside of the tower, so deep were his worries about Tsunade's reaction, that he didn't notice the shocked stares of the few ninja already at work, who turned around when they saw him, too stunned to have a proper reaction at his presence.

"Naruto!"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Naruto found himself being hugged tightly by Shizune, who hid her face in his hair, trying to stop the tears. She cared for Naruto even though the two had never really bonded like he and Tsunade did, but she still saw him like a younger brother.

Naruto turned a bit red, uncomfortable with the hug, but didn't squirm as Shizune poured out her relief on him.

"Shizune nee–chan" he muttered awkwardly, patting her on the back and waiting until she let him go.

"Ah, gomen… it's just that… I am happy you are still alive, that's all" she shook her head, wiping the wetness out of her eyes. There were indeed no other words she could say. "Everyone was… so happy when Kakashi called to say you were still alive…"

The thought that his friends had missed him and had mourned for his presumed death should have made him sad, but instead Naruto found himself smiling despite the situation; it was wrong to think it this way, but… it felt good to know he had been missed.

It meant his friends cared.

Shizune left to get some coffee for Tsunade, and Naruto hesitantly knocked on the door of Tsunade's office, for once unable to barge in. There was no response from the other side, so he simply opened the door, bracing himself for whatever could come.

And was left utterly stupefied by the sight –Tsunade was…

Sleeping.

Soundly sleeping, with her face pressed against a stash of documents, drooling slightly.

Naruto's left eyebrow twitched and he forgot completely the current situation. Yes, she wasn't expecting him to come this soon but still! She was a Hokage, this was so… un–Hokage–like!

Taking a deep breath and nearing the sleeping woman, Naruto smiled a bit, about to wake her up like he was used to.

Familiarity, this was what he was feeling now –for the first time since he returned to Konoha, he felt at home.

"**Oi, Tsunade baa–chan**!" he yelled, keeping himself out of reach. "**Stop sleeping on your work or I'll tell Shizune!**"

'_It's good to be back'_ he thought to himself, watching amusedly as Tsunade snapped back in a straight position, one paper note remaining stuck on her reddened cheek as her widened eyes looked everywhere in shock and confusion.

Her brown eyes then noticed Naruto, and a second later, much like he had been hugged by Shizune moments before, he found himself choking in Tsunade's embrace, her strong arms gripped tightly around him, not letting him go.

Naruto allowed her to hug him this time, and hugged her back.

Yes, it finally felt good to be home again.

……………………………………………

The next few days, much like the saying goes, disappeared in a rush.

He was back home, and that was all it was. So many things happened all at once, so many that Naruto, who was still trying to recover and was still unsettled, could barely follow them all, like a spinning top whose colour he could not make out.

In this new whirlpool of events, where he was always surrounded by at least two of his friends, with Iruka barely leaving his side, Naruto felt protected and wanted, and didn't question nor comment on it, simply enjoying the feeling.

It was not just his period in Akatsuki, but mainly the fact he had been gone from Konoha for the last three years, he needed to re–acquaintance himself with everything. And focusing on his surroundings was a good way to forget.

He had seen all of his friends, all of them clearly relieved to see him alive and well, and Naruto was glad none of them had wanted to ask about his stay between the Akatsuki hideout. Probably the news of his state had reached there too, and they felt it would do no good to remember how he escaped, as the state of his hands had reached his friends' ears.

They were wrong, all in all, with their concern about it –it was definitely not his escaping method that had Naruto fear every time one of his friends moved to ask him something.

He would have explained about his escaping period, but no one ever asked. Naruto was not even sure they would really believe him. He himself was not entirely sure he had managed to escape by himself, more so the suspicion the Leader had somehow allowed him to go.

That also brought out a new problem with Konoha.

Naruto had been inside one of the possible hideouts of the Akatsuki, the dreadful organization of Missing–nins from all countries, and that was valuable information.

To the Council it also was the perfect way to work on him a bit, even though Tsunade prevented them from ordering him questioned for she claimed he was still recovering.

It didn't matter to the Council that Naruto did not remember where the apparent hideout was when he left it, and it didn't matter to them that Naruto would never be able to take them there –even though probably the Akatsuki had already abandoned the place.

They wanted answers.

Tsunade had pulled it off quite a bit before the Council forced it upon her –that, or having Naruto questioned by ANBU, and she knew the Council would have ordered them to torture him for information he didn't really have.

So it was Tsunade himself who asked him questions, begging him to understand she wasn't doing it for herself or out of spite for him.

Naruto never thought badly of her questions. To him, telling her about that didn't mean a thing. What he feared were the questions regarding Itachi and himself, but thankfully, she never asked anything remotely dangerous to him.

He was afraid because he was not sure he would have been able to lie to her.

But she didn't question him about that, only getting what he could remember of the Akatsuki members, taking deeply into account the Leader's appearance and Naruto's comment about his eyes –it could not be a Hyuuga, but their clan was so guarded Tsunade had no way to know if he could have been one once any way.

Hiashi, as clan leader, would never reveal any detail about something that could put to shame the Hyuuga family, no matter what, and differently than Uchiha Itachi, there had been no reports ever of a nuke–nin from the second most known clan of Konohagakure.

Tsunade simply put the information away for a later research, and kept asking Naruto about the other members, to his relief (_those eyes were still haunting him, in a different way than Itachi's were, too_).

Despite all his doubts, no one apparently seemed to know about him, his wrong doings, or his guilt, but the fear didn't go away, rooting itself deeply in his mind. Resolving in forgetting all about Itachi, Naruto tried to move on.

He was back home after all.

About his friends, that was just another thing he was glad for.

With his return, everybody felt the need to show him just how much they had missed his presence there.

Hinata had pretty much hugged him, only to back away when she realised her doings, blushing brightly and stammering but she had looked at him in the eyes and did not turn away. In a way, she was changed too.

No one was as clingy as Kiba though, the dog–lover never leaving Naruto's side most of the time, bragging and mocking the blond from his position over Akamaru's head –the dog had grown bigger in the last few years– but this was his way to show his care. Trying to fill the void, in a way.

Others were not as effusive, nor as ostentatious.

Neji was simply there, just like Shikamaru was, and both showed their care by gestures and glances. If Naruto needed them, they were always around, but not enough to make him feel uncomfortable –both had been there when he was found tired and hurt, both had seen the extent of his pain.

Others, like Shino, had been even more silent. Brushing by, nodding at him without a word –but then, the few moths still fluttering outside of Naruto's window at night were proof enough.

Sakura…

Sakura had come through the door of Tsunade's office only to hug him, crying a bit on his shoulder and muttering before giving off a show of her new acquired strength by punching Naruto through the closed door, yelling at him for making her cry.

Many things had changed since he left, with Neji and some others that had turned to Jounin rank, Sakura that had been under Tsunade's training regime, but now Naruto was going to return to the place he felt he belonged to.

Even though…

"Hey, Naruto, what about a group together of all us great guys, huh?" Kiba slapped his back, receiving a bark of encouragement from Akamaru as he did so. Naruto coughed out and turned to look at the Inuzuka.

"What do you mean?" he asked, already intrigued.

"Well, we could just get together and have a sleepover! Speak about everything and anything and I think I could get some alcohol too!" Kiba rambled on excitedly, with Akamaru replying here and there, and Naruto snickered at the sight, not really bothering to listen.

He had no say in this anyway, as it was clear he would not get out of it –not that he wanted to, after all. A week since he was back, and still he was always controlled, followed and monitored by Iruka, Kakashi and Tsunade. Maybe an all–boy's night would give him some kind of… tension–relief of sorts.

And make him have fun.

Especially that. He needed normality…

……………………………………………

Tsunade quickly signed a paper in front of her, eyes moving from the pack of documents she still had to check to the window.

She was a bit apprehensive, that was a given, but knowing Naruto was having fun with his friends made her sort of… nervous.

'_If someone were to know I am worrying over the brat they'd say I'm turning motherly on him'_ she thought shaking her head.

Naruto could take care of himself, he had demonstrated it already.

But that didn't mean she could stop worrying.

She had other problems as well, and the village needed her as Hokage, not as mother hen.

"Tsunade–sama, there is an urgent message for you" Shizune entered with a sealed scroll and handed it to her, smiling at her forlorn face as she exited the office again. Yet, she could understand Tsunade's worry for Naruto.

Tsunade frowned, staring at the scroll in her hands. She had received many similar ones from her spies scattered around, not to mention news from other Kage regarding some missing–nin popping up at the villages bordering with the Hi no Kuni, and she didn't know what to think.

It had started happening when Naruto was still thought dead, even though at the time Tsunade was far from sober, and quite depressed but it continued even when she had given up hope on Naruto, and had lost herself in her work.

There had been so far four attacks, even though the villagers had not been able to recognize the village the missing–nins were from, nor if they were part of Akatsuki (even though she presumed this had nothing to do with the organization).

It was such strange occurrence, knowing that usually missing–nins tried to have a low–profile when moving, but at least if felt more normal considering the last happenings.

Jiraiya would have been the perfect one to receive help from, but the man was unreachable, since he disappeared and left after Naruto's supposed death.

The man didn't even know about Naruto's return to Konoha, and Tsunade felt clearly the pain the white haired Sannin was probably feeling now. He'd felt betrayed, but also guilty for he thought it was his fault Naruto got caught. Tsunade didn't hold it against him, seeing as he got tricked…

She had to reach Jiraiya somehow, and he was the only one who could help with the Akatsuki Leader and what Naruto told her, not to mention the missing–nins attacking the Hi no Kuni's borders.

There was something going on, and she wanted to be informed about it.

Cutting open the seal, Tsunade frowned when instead of another attack at the border, she found something entirely different signed in the scroll.

The sender was one of her spies in the territory in–between the Taki no Kuni and the Ta no Kuni (respectively hosting Takigakure no Sato and Otogakure no Sato), neutral ground for all the villages.

Even though no one knew where Otogakure was, due to Orochimaru's cautious intentions, she had displaced her spies around in hopes to find at least one of the secret hideouts the Snake Sannin used –as Jiraiya told her he was used to move often to make it harder for ANBU to find him.

Even if the hideout were left abandoned, she was sure there would be at least some information about his future moves, or at least his intentions.

The time for Sasuke's sacrifice was drawing near and now they had less than two months to find him, or else lose the Uchiha to the grasp of Orochimaru forever, and Tsunade was determined to stop the transaction before it was completed.

So she was completely rendered speechless when she realised the seal she cracked open was secured so only her chakra could undo it, and that inside was proof of one of Orochimaru's hideouts.

Scanning the contents of the scroll once more, Tsunade checked for details, feeling her heart skip a beat when she realised that the hideout was one of the hidden storage buildings Orochimaru used when moving from one hideout to another, and that by the clean appearance of it, was also going to be used soon enough.

Apparently her spy caught an oto–nin who had been sent over to prepare the place, and had tortured him for the information that Orochimaru would move onto this new transition hideout before disappearing again.

This was the information she had been waiting for.

Part of her wanted to send someone else than Naruto's team for this mission, knowing that she was not ready yet to allow the blond to leave her sight, but she knew it would hurt Naruto too much.

He was the only one that could bring Sasuke back, and there was no other choice.

She would allow Naruto the night with his friends, and the next morning she would send him, Sakura and Kakashi to the mission. The only problem was, she still needed someone to send with them as a team, knowing they could not afford a trip to the borders of Ta no Kuni without having a whole team.

This proved to be a problem, and Tsunade didn't know who would be qualified enough to–

"Tsunade–sama?" Shizune knocked softly on the door with a sheepish expression. "Koharu–sama from the Council wants to speak to you".

……………………………………………

Naruto's heart thumped wildly in his chest as he made his way out of Kiba's house, running down the empty streets of Konoha without looking where he was going.

This was…

How could he have let that happen? He knew better than just go and speak around, but the idea of the party had made him loosen up, maybe far too much.

At start it had been very funny, with him and Kiba, Shino, Lee, Chouji and even Neji and Shikamaru grouped together with snacks and a stack of horror movies.

It had felt normal; a change of pace from the last months, and then Kiba had to take out the stash of sake he had stolen from his father's secret cupboard. They had known better than let Lee drink, but all the others had taken at least a cup –even Neji.

Unfortunately, for someone like Naruto who had never drank before (not even with Jiraiya, refusing to allow the older man to teach him how to drink and woo girls), alcohol had been too much.

He was still feeling quite air–headed as he moved as far from Kiba's house as he could, but he knew with absolute certainty what he said, and he knew that they had all heard his words.

He vaguely recalled Kiba had been talking about his relationship with Shino, bragging around, and had asked some stupid questions even to Shikamaru, who kept muttering under his breath, then Naruto didn't remember what exactly Kiba had said –something about it was better when it hurt and that virgins would never know the best of it– and the blond had felt words coming out from his mouth without him wanting to speak.

Itachi's name had never left his lips, but pretty much he had told all his friends he was a virgin no more.

That was quite stupid, thinking it now, but Kiba had been bragging and calling Shikamaru a virgin prick and then had turned to him and said he had to be a virgin as well, and Naruto had felt his insides boil.

Yeah, talk about stupid things.

Which was why he was now cowardly running away, because they had turned towards him in shock, and Kiba had started coot–calling and… flashed of his time with Itachi had resurfaced, making his stomach clench in pain.

He had felt sick inside, because he had made it look like he had enjoyed it and even if his friends didn't know who he had been with, he still felt even dirtier. Could not deny he _had_ enjoyed it after all.

Definitely, alcohol wasn't the best choice ever.

Coming out of his confused thoughts, Naruto realised with a start that he wasn't anymore in Kiba's house district, and that unknowingly his legs had taken him straight to the Training Grounds, near the Memorial Stone.

His feet forced him through the training ground he knew so well, until he was finally in front of the stone, reaching out to brush his fingers over its smooth surface. Almost unconsciously, he slowly traced the names, written so small there were rows and rows, some family name he could recognise –Akimichi, Inuzuka and more– then there were two rows of Uchiha names all written one after the other.

Names, so many names. Naruto felt the sudden urge to know who they were and how they ended up dead. Respect for people he never knew, that made Konoha what it was now.

His eyes noticed the name of Sandaime Hokage as well, the only one of the Hokage whose name he could remember, and smiled sadly in remembrance, not reading further. He had cared a lot for the old man.

People that had been respected and now… their names were written there, for all the ninja to know they had been considered heroes.

To Naruto this place, this stone, meant a lot. It was his first encounter with what a ninja life meant. He could still remember Kakashi's words during their Genin test…

"You wanted your name written on there, when I told you it showed all the heroes of Konoha…"

Naruto stiffened and turned around, heart racing in his chest once again as he spotted a dark figure behind him, but calmed down when he realised it was Kakashi.

"Kakashi–sensei!" he pouted lightly, frowning. "Stop coming onto me like this!"

The silver haired Jounin smiled at his student under his mask and let his eyes roam amongst the names on the stone. For some time, both remained in silence, neither asking what the other was doing there.

"You know, we wrote your name here" he stated quietly, pointing with his chin towards the lower part of the stone.

Naruto stiffened and turned around, effectively spotting his own name. There had to be something comical that his rushed declaration had been fulfilled. Naruto shook his head, wondering if his name would be erased from the stone or would stay here anyway.

"Thus I had another reason to come here everyday" Kakashi continued.

Naruto turned around again, staring in shock at his teacher. Kakashi was used to come to the Memorial Stone every day?

'_Does this mean it's the real reason why he always comes late to team meetings?'_ Naruto wondered, blinking as he stared up at his teacher. Though, it was not his place to ask, and he didn't want to enrage or piss him off.

Besides, Naruto wasn't sure what he could say. It was obvious Kakashi had to have someone close to him whose name was on this stone, as he was a ninja and probably one of his friends, or his family, was there.

He recalled Jiraiya telling him that Yondaime had been Kakashi's teacher, so could it mean the silver haired Jounin paid his respects for his teacher? Naruto would do the same if Iruka–sensei or Kakashi–sensei himself were to die. He would be devastated.

Naruto bit his lower lip as another question popped up in his mind. Kakashi had a Sharingan, so that meant someone had given him his eye. It could also mean that Kakashi had been close with at least one Uchiha.

"Kakashi–sensei?"

The older shinobi didn't turn his eyes away from the engraved stone, but let out a small 'hmm' to let Naruto know he was listening.

"I want to… I want to understand" he admitted, hesitating before stopping entirely.

There was no way to explain to his teacher about his sudden need to _understand_, to know what and why the Uchiha family ended up like this… the way Itachi's eyes were empty of emotions, the way Sasuke's hatred had been so strong that he left Konoha.

He wanted to know everything about them, understand more because he felt inadequate, because he knew he would never find peace of mind without knowing.

The stone in Sasuke's room, the Uchiha massacre, the Mangekyou Sharingan, not to mention what happened with Itachi…

Naruto was tired to know nothing. He wanted to understand, and that was it. He had been pulled inside the storm and he had no way to move out of it. It was too late for that.

Because the guilt that was eating him was more because of Sasuke than because of Konoha. Somehow he knew it, he had betrayed Sasuke. That was why he would do anything to amend.

"Understand?" Kakashi didn't know what Naruto meant, but had a vague idea of what it could be. There were not many things the blond was focused upon, after all. And he was not sure he could answer truthfully –yet.

"Kakashi–sensei… I want to understand them".

He didn't elaborate anymore, and Kakashi had to relent to his words, knowing who he was referring to.

"You have to know… something!" Naruto blurted out then, biting his lip afterwards and feeling awkwardly stupid, standing there and demanding his teacher to give him answers.

But… the eye…

"Nothing you could learn by my words would be of any importance to you, Naruto –the person whose eye is now mine was not an Uchiha by heart". The words were coming out on their own accord, but the copy–nin felt like he could explain, at least a bit.

Naruto blinked unsurely, not really getting what Kakashi was saying.

"Huh?" he replied.

"Uchiha was a severe, close and ancient clan, Naruto. Much like the Hyuuga, even though the Hyuuga's matters are about dignity and pride, whilst the Uchiha, most of all, hid their power hunger behind their false pride".

Kakashi wasn't looking at Naruto anymore, focusing instead on a higher row on the stone; Naruto kneeled on the cold basement and followed his stare, barely able to recognize a name in the now scarce light.

Uchiha Obito.

The only Uchiha name at that particular level of the stone.

"Uchiha was a name that brought responsibilities, duties, boundaries that were too strong, ties that couldn't be severed" Kakashi's words held no emotions as he spoke, as cold as the stone under Naruto's fingers. "It demanded no failure, it demanded to uphold the honour of a family that had long since lost values other than gaining fame and pride –growing up either hating the place, or being absorbed into its twisted faith".

Naruto felt the conversation was getting a bit above his head, but tried to reason through the hidden meaning for Kakashi's speech using the emotionless tone as guide.

Kakashi was quite unreadable, but after having shared time and space with Itachi, Naruto had become quite good at reading under the surface.

Kakashi… disapproved strongly. Not just that. He showed a strong distaste, shoulders tensed, eyes still fixed on the name.

"Obito… well, Obito was like you" he ended up admitting, even though at start he had no intention to say it. "Too unpredictable, too nice, too average–looking –something that was not allowed in the Uchiha clan".

Naruto should have felt offended by having been compared to someone 'average looking' but felt a twisted sense of warmth fill him instead –Kakashi apparently thought highly of that Obito. And he had deemed the two of them similar.

In a way, it was like Kakashi had admitted to care for Naruto too.

"Usually Uchiha develop their Sharingan around eleven to twelve years of age, coming up to thirteen at the most, but Obito by fourteen had yet to obtain that" Kakashi slowly pointed his thumb on his covered eye. "And nothing made it look like he was going to get it soon –he had barely passed to Chuunin rank, and whilst I was already passing my Jounin exam, he didn't look like he would pass that one soon".

Naruto could sympathize a bit with that Obito guy. He supposed by how Kakashi spoke, that they had been teammates, too.

"He was loud, clumsy, had constant problems of weak eyes, and was always late" Kakashi had a small smile tugging at his lips at the memories, without even noticing it. "Our sensei never scolded him much for that. He was… the opposite of how a real Uchiha had to behave, but he didn't care. He kept acting like he wanted without caring for what others could say".

Naruto had to admit that he was a bit like this too –or he would have never stood back up every time someone denied him his dreams.

Kakashi's next words slammed against Naruto's mind like a ton of bricks.

"Obito received his Sharingan protecting me. I had protected him from an easy attack, and lost my eye in the result, and that need to not feel weak, to protect, activated the Sharingan".

Naruto gasped quietly, covering his mouth not to ruin the atmosphere, and looked up at the copy–nin with wide eyes.

That had sounded… so familiar.

Way too familiar. But the implications of the whole speech were perhaps even worse than this similarity.

"No matter his act though, he was never respected even after his death" the silver haired Jounin shook his head. "For he was considered below the standards the family used. The Uchiha were a clan that was doomed to fail" and with this, the older shinobi knew he couldn't speak any more.

It was already painful to even say that name aloud.

This was as much as Kakashi was willing to tell his student, and it was more than he had first wanted to. "I think this is enough for you to ponder over for a while… go back home, Naruto".

Naruto had no time to reply, as Kakashi turned around, and disappeared in a puff of smoke two steps away.

"Uchiha… Obito…" the blond didn't feel like leaving the Memorial Stone yet, eyes still glued on the name, mind still leering for Kakashi's words.

He was starting to realise that the clan everyone claimed to appreciate and love was just appearance. Even Kakashi, who Naruto had always thought to be favouring the Uchiha for his clan, was now showing his real face on the matter.

Naruto had no clear idea on clans and old bounds, ties, whatever was the word Kakashi used, but somehow it didn't' matter. He was already drawing a comparison, and with early memories of Sasuke, he could place his once best friend in his family quite accordingly with his mentality.

Just like Kakashi said, Sasuke had been drowning. Wanting to fulfil something that would bring no satisfaction to him, nor to the dead. What good would it seem, when the clan was already buried?

Were the Uchiha still demanding on Sasuke to end Itachi's life to settle down such old betrayal? Sasuke's life had been controlled since his childhood. First by being second to an older brother that was a genius, then by his parents' desire for him to be perfect.

Now he was kneeling in front of raw, unnatural power he wouldn't have accepted beforehand, for the simple need to cease it all.

"_I won't mind having my body taken over, if I can fulfil my dream!"_

Was this Sasuke's dream, or was it the desperate need not to be second anymore? Was guilt eating him away for not being able to protect his family? He had been what, seven years old?

Naruto could not understand. Not this, and probably he would never come as close as to even try to.

And Itachi had been barely thirteen at the time. It seemed like no one ever thought about this. Thirteen was Naruto's age when he left Konoha to train with Jiraiya. Barely a teen. Barely a ninja able to stand on his own without help… he could admit it as much.

Thirteen. And with hatred so strong it consumed Itachi away, and caused the destruction of the whole clan. Did they call it upon themselves? Asking maybe too much from Itachi?

Would this mean that after completing his hatred–based revenge, Itachi had nothing more to live for, and had made sure there would be someone left to take care of this nothingness?

It was a thought that scared Naruto, because he could understand. Besides being Hokage he had no other dreams. What if he were to lose that too? Wouldn't he feel empty and robbed of his only goal?

Why such hatred, again? The question haunted him more and more. Enough hatred to destroy a clan. Enough hatred to consume away all of Itachi's soul. Was this kind of hatred Itachi was trying to have Sasuke feel?

And yet, the two were deeply different, probably due to the different kind of pressure from the clan. So confusing, it was.

"It makes sense, and makes no sense at all" he spoke aloud, needing the words to hang in the air around him to cover up the silence. "But I will find out without a doubt".

Maybe he had ended up with more questions than answers, but some part of him felt satisfied already. There was much to ponder about, not to mention he'd probably need to go to the Uchiha district once more.

'_That place was creepy… but… I have things to check now'_.

The wind shifted again around him, blowing southwards and sending chills through his spine as he quietly left the grounds, wandering slowly back towards the apartment he currently lived in (a temporary place as his old apartment was still burned down, and he had nowhere to go).

Tomorrow. Definitely tomorrow.

……………………………………………

Droplets of water were slowly dribbling from the rusty pipes above the figure's head, echoing through the wide corridor like gun's shouts; advancing slowly, his footsteps easily sounded in the silence, and even if he had ways to cease the sound, he didn't bother.

It was not important.

Around him, the whole architecture of the building was creaking, adjusting itself, almost looking like it could crumble at the minimum offence, and still it was resistant, and it had been for the last twenty years, if not more.

Residing in there for so long had made him aware of every sound, every smallest detail that could show something was wrong, and he knew how to use his surroundings well.

Slowly wobbling outside the giant structure, leaning his weight on the stick that was tightly held in his left hand, the figure exited on the walking pass, finally coming into the light and revealing itself.

Dressed with a simple while haori and black pants, the whole right side of his body was covered with a dark cloth that curled high on his neck, only leaving out the sleeve of the haori for the left harm, and tied around the waist by a white folded string.

He couldn't have been older than sixty, and even if his many battle wounds were clearly stating he had once been a great shinobi, they also made him look even older; wrinkles adorned the part of his face that was not covered with white bandages, whilst a cross–shaped scar on his chin was left clear for everyone to see.

The bandages covered the man's right eye and ear as well, whilst his other eye was left barely open, but despite his old overall appearance and the way he wobbled leaning on his stick, there as still a streak of power running deep and hidden inside the man.

The man's attention was caught by a rustle above his head, and he didn't turn as a second later, someone appeared a few feet in front of him, quickly kneeling down with one hand pressed against the wooden floor and the other folded in his lap.

The older man regarded with his barely open eye the figure in front of him, taking in every detail.

He was younger, much younger than he himself was, he could have been around seventeen or eighteen of age, with dark flat hair falling around his pale face. His expression was blank, though, minus a small tick of his left eye.

His clothing choice was a bit strange at first sight, with a katana strapped on his back, mid–length black pants and a shirt that only covered up the upper half of his chest, leaving naked the stomach and belly –long sleeve on the right, short sleeve on the left.

He also had black gloves on, but the distinctive note was a Konoha headband tied on his forehead.

"You had me called here, Danzou–sama?" he asked, his voice lacking both curiosity and a tone of sorts.

Danzou nodded slightly.

"The time for your part has finally come" he replied, his voice still strong and commanding, showing that he was indeed still a strong person. His mouth was set to a small frown. "I have arranged it with the Council so that the Hokage had no other choice but to assign you to Team Kakashi".

The figure didn't move, merely listening to his new orders. He had been trained only to follow the man's directions, and he had been instructed already for that mission and now –it was time to successfully accomplish it.

"You have been chosen amongst my ranks for this mission –not only for your age range, that is around the same as Uzumaki Naruto's, but for you are stronger than any other in your generation inside the village" Danzou kept his face straight as he spoke, noticing no reaction from the teen. "Most of all, your artistic mind makes you the perfect candidate for this mission. You do not have distractions of sorts, unpredictability is on your side, as well".

He paused a second, still waiting for a reaction, but was satisfied to still receive none.

"From now on until the end of the current mission, you are to be called… Sai".

Finally, the figure moved, his body shifting so he could lift his head up a bit. Hearing the name being spoken, the shinobi now known as Sai closed his eyes and stretched his lips upwards, his facial features forming what should have been a smile.

Only that it was empty, void of any real emotion, and cold –like a doll's painted smile, Sai's was not real.

"Sai… so that's my name…" his tone was still devoid of emotion.

Danzou stiffened.

"Don't use a fake smile in front of me" he reprimanded, his tone glacial.

Sai blinked, his face returning to its blankness before carefully switching to a small frown, one eyebrow lowering down.

"I am sorry" the teen lowered his face again. "I've tried and practised like the manual said, as it stated how the better first impression as to appeal, is with a smile, but…" he frowned a bit more "I am still unable to do those… facial expressions".

Danzou shook his head a bit. It humoured him quite a bit, to watch the teen struggle to comprehend simple things as human emotions. Amusing, because 'Sai' had never been allowed to feel, and now it was merely a subject of study for him.

Danzou himself was aware of this, and he knew that Sai's desire to understand was only dictated by the ninja instinct to blend in to make his victim more careless.

Emotions were a weakness no strong ninja could accept, and he had the perfect soldier to use in his plans. After all, it was not every day his based alliance could bring him so much profit only with a single casualty…

"You know what you have to do, and remember you only have less than two weeks to bring the plan to completion –time is our ally as of now, the Hokage does not suspect a thing, nor does he Council" he slammed the stick on the floor as to make his words clear.

"I will not delay the plan further, and no suspicion will fall on me. No one will be able to connect it with me –nor with _you_, Danzou–sama".

"Then you are dismissed, Sai. Move to Konoha straight away and start your plan. There should be no need for me to remind you what would be your punishment if you fail".

Sai nodded stiffly, and disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving Danzou alone once again.

Slowly, a smirk made its way on his face as he started walking again, the metallic end of the stick echoing in the open space as he disappeared on the other end of the walking pass. This was going to be it. Soon enough.

Yes, soon enough.

……………………………………………

**StarsOfYaoi:** was this a transitory chapter? Yes it was. Do you still want the action? Well, you're going to get it very soon indeed! Stay tuned in and drop a review! The next chapter's already being written.

Review! Make me happy!


	24. Preoccupations

**Thanks to all reviewers who had the patience to wait out for me…**** this chapter is dedicated to all of you, with a special mention to Agni, Yum2, Ecchan, Imperial Mint, May_Neuma, Tanuki-mara and Kat.**

**Note: **_remember that this fanfic is moving away from canon timeline, and I will keep my Leader–sama as well as my reasoning for the Uchiha massacre._

**StarsOfYaoi:** I can't say anything but… I'm sorry it took so long. Seriously. I hope someone is still following this fic and me. If you are, thank you so much. I won't delude you.

……………………………………………

**Rating**: M (or is it higher?)

**Summary:** Kyuubi's secret out. Akatsuki attacking. Fighting for strength, and falling for your ex–best friend's older brother. Maybe Naruto will have to deal with more than he imagined…

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, _**angsty**_, torture, and such. Mental torture as well. Flames will be used to warm up food. OC warning as well.

**Disclaimer**: Not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

……………………………………………

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 24****: Preoccupations**

"_You know what you have to do, and remember you only have less than two weeks to bring the plan to completion –time is our ally as of now, the Hokage does not suspect a thing, nor does he Council" he slammed the stick on the floor as to make his words clear._

"_I will not delay the plan further, and no suspicion will fall on me. No one will be able to connect it with me –nor with _you_, Danzou–sama"._

"_Then you are dismissed, Sai. Move to Konoha straight away and start your plan. There should be no need for me to remind you what would be your punishment if you fail"._

_Sai nodded stiffly, and disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving Danzou alone once again._

_Slowly, a smirk made its way on his face as he started walking again, the metallic end of the stick echoing in the open space as he disappeared on the other end of the walking pass. This was going to be it. Soon enough._

_Yes, soon enough._

…………

Tsunade sternly looked at the three shinobi in front of her, eyes fixed on the Jounin leader of the team, fighting to keep herself from looking at the blond ninja instead, knowing all too well what reaction she would get as soon as she stated the purpose for calling them to her.

Kakashi was purposefully sifting through his 'Icha Icha' book, eye scanning the pages, yet his tense body was clear show that he was waiting for the Hokage to speak.

"Team 7… no, Team Kakashi…" moving her attention to the reports in front of her, Tsunade cleared her throat.

She didn't like what she was about to say, but the Council had been pressing on the matter, and she had no other choice than to relent to their will.

At least for now… there was nothing she could do.

"Well, Tsunade obaa–chan? Why did you bring us here for?" Naruto was fidgeting from one foot to the other, looking out of the giant window behind Tsunade, his eyes lost in the distance.

It was clear he'd been up to something before she had called him, but Tsunade wasn't sure she wanted to know. At all.

"Yesterday I received a report from one of my informants," tone carefully neutral, Tsunade intertwined her fingers on the desk, looking down at them. "About the whereabouts of one of Orochimaru's storage buildings".

Her eyes noticed instantly the reactions of the three in front of her –Kakashi brow twitched, and his eye turned sharply towards her, Naruto stiffened visibly, fists clenching, and Sakura lifted one hand to her mouth, stifling a gasp.

"What does that imply, Hokage–sama?" Kakashi lowered his book slightly, attentive.

"As we have known since the start, Orochimaru's main hideout is Otogakure, but he owns various labs and minor dens around the various countries," her fingers twitched, but otherwise she kept herself blank. "Most of those are just small storage buildings that he uses whilst moving from one hideout to the next… we were aware of a small number of them, unfortunately already abandoned –he never uses the same hideout again, once deserted".

Kakashi nodded gravely, whilst Sakura and Naruto exchanged a look.

"The storage building I received a report about has yet to be used" the blond woman continued, humming. "Not only that… my contact was able to secure information regarding this storage building's exact location, and the fact that Orochimaru will soon be using it".

Naruto moved forwards in a flash, both hands slamming on the desk and staring right into her eyes, his own wide in excitement.

"You mean… Sasuke might be there, too?"

Tsunade nodded slightly.

Naruto flinched and shifted backwards, once again exchanging a glance with Sakura, then looking expectantly at Kakashi.

The Jounin had yet to look away from the Hokage. "The orders, Tsunade–sama?"

Tsunade straightened her back. "C–rank scouting mission in the neutral territory between Taki no Kuni and Ta no Kuni," she stated, seeing the recognition in Kakashi's single eye. "Surely you understand the importance of this mission, Kakashi… there is no… official information regarding Orochimaru, and this is merely an assignment to investigate the appearance of missing–nins in the neutral territory".

He nodded briskly, turning around to look at his two pupils.

"The lands between Taki and Ta have been considered nobody's territory by every country, and thus are used to hold special treaties and negotiates between enemy countries during difficult periods" he explained, seeing as neither Sakura nor Naruto had understood. "Officially, at least, no Country nor Hidden Village has spies in that territory. Unofficially, we all do, of course," he let out a soft snort. "That means there cannot be preventively planned attacks whilst inside the neutral territory".

Sakura's eyes widened slightly as she understood the implications, "Orochimaru's hideout being in the neutral territory means we cannot attack him, but if we happen upon it, and a fight breaks out, it won't fall under a previously planned event, and there will be no repercussions against Konohagakure!"

Kakashi nodded, and Tsunade hummed again.

"Missing–nin are wandering through the borders of our country, and more having been spotted close to the borders of Kaze no Kuni, and it is a given that we investigate if other countries have the same problem lately… so a scouting mission to the borders of the neutral territory will not rouse suspicion".

Naruto's face split into a smirk, but both adults noticed how his fists were still clenched tightly. "There is a chance that we might find Orochimaru and Sasuke…" he muttered, looking to the side. "Thanks, Tsunade obaa–chan!"

She sighed, shaking her head. "That is not everything, though…" she stood up slowly, moving away from the desk and closer to the window, looking outside.

"What? You called us here so that we could go on this mission… what's the problem?" Naruto clearly could barely stand still, shoulders trembling now that he had a lead to Sasuke.

"Your team… lacks a member," Tsunade didn't want to turn around, so she focused her eyes on the Hokage mountain above.

She looked really young up there.

"Y–yes, of course" Sakura and Naruto once more exchanged a puzzled stare. "But for now we're team Kakashi –we won't be complete until Sasuke comes back".

"Unfortunately, to function as a proper team, you have to be four –one Jounin instructor and three ninja," Tsunade bit her lower lip "and you need another participant to take on this mission".

Kakashi's single eye narrowed. He didn't like the hesitation with whom Tsunade was speaking.

"So what? Do we have to go ask everybody if they want to join us on a mission?" Naruto scratched his chin thoughtfully –to him, it wasn't such a hard decision, and he was sure his friends would be happy to help him out…

"No –you get no say in the new teammate's addition" Tsunade frowned. "It is a final decision, and not even I can do anything about it".

Kakashi let out a hiss, coming to the right conclusion as he noticed a file on the desk.

"We have been assigned an external member by the Council" he muttered, so the two teens could hear.

Both gasped.

"What? But can they even do it?" Sakura turned a shocked state to her master. "I…"

"I won't accept some random stranger to join our team! There is no place for someone else –our teammate is Sasuke, and that's it!" Naruto stepped forwards, angered.

He wasn't fond of the Council –those old coots were bad enough on their own, and now they were messing with things they had no say in… Naruto was seething.

"How did that happen?" Sakura pressed one hand on Naruto's shoulder, trying to calm him down. She was the most rational of the two, and she knew that a decision that even overrode that of Tsunade had no way to be objected by them. "Why would the Council be interested in our team, if Sasuke isn't there anymore?"

"To keep a leash on the demon!" Naruto gritted his teeth in anger. "The old coots are still suspicious of me!"

"Naruto…"

Tsunade closed her eyes, remembering the meeting with the two Elders of the Council. More than a meeting, it had felt like the two were determined in showing their power over her.

Homura had looked at her from above the line of his glasses.

"_Do not send Naruto on missions that have possibility of contact with Akatsuki,__ and from now on, appoint high–rank shinobi with Naruto. Assign him to four–man teams to reinforce our supervision and guard over him"._

Koharu had leaned forwards, the wrinkles under her eyes intensifying with her glare. _"Also, you should decrease his amount of missions as much as possible, and restrict the range of his movements"._

Tsunade had felt her heart constrict at those words –she was the Hokage, but they had a say in this as spokespersons of the Council.

"_Unacceptable"._

She had frowned, her glare matching that of Koharu.

"_Tsunade…" _the older woman had switched from an offended stare to one of condescendence.

"_Naruto is… no ordinary child. He's a Jinchuurichi. Normally, we should not allow him to leave the village, and keep him under constant supervision" _Homura sniffed, _"I assure you, we are truly making concessions"._

Tsunade had forced her expression to turn stony. _"I am in favour of a four–man team, but such restrictions shouldn't be placed on Naruto!"_

Shaking her head, Tsunade forced herself to focus on Team Kakashi. Despite her heartfelt words, her remark on how she trusted Naruto with her life (_he wore her bad–luck charm, yet for him… for him, it hadn't been unlucky. He was still alive, he was still fighting…_), they had still forced her to accept an external member –someone she had no way to control.

Someone coming from Ne. The ANBU division completely under control of Shimura Danzou –Sarutobi's old rival, the man that had nurtured a secret hatred towards the Sandaime since the start, wanting nothing more than to become the Hokage in his stead…

Danzou had created and kept the division of Root for himself, aside from the ANBU troops that were following the Hokage's orders, and this was dangerous.

What could that man want? He wouldn't want to work with the Council for nothing –yet, his interest for Naruto had to be null.

The Council might want to control the demon, or at least restrain it as much as possible (_didn't they know it was impossible? Naruto's loyalty was with Konoha, he couldn't understand revenge and hatred… and that was the only reason he had not extracted vengeance on them already…_), but Danzou had never cared.

There was surely something else… something fishy –and Tsunade had a vague idea of what that could be.

"It is not the only reason" she stated, finally turning around and staring straight at Naruto. "Whilst the Council wants to maintain the control over the Kyuubi, there is an ulterior reason they appointed a team member of their own choice to Team Kakashi".

Naruto and Sakura abruptly looked at her. "What does that mean?"

The Hokage sighed again; the Council's elders had surely made a deal with Danzou, who was part of it. This was not good.

"The Council always looked upon the last of the Uchiha with greed," Tsunade's words were spit out with an accent of bitterness. "But it's the second time an Uchiha betrays the village, and they are guarding the secret so that no outsider might gain this knowledge and use it against us".

Naruto stiffened at the vague mention of Itachi, as he had managed to avoid thinking about him for an entirety of four hours, and looked to the side, stiffening.

Once again, he felt cold seep through his body, and tried to hide his sudden uneasiness; the memory of Itachi's body pressing against his own, with cool lips trailing down his skin, hands mapping every part of his body…

'_Don't think __about it!'_ he chastised himself, biting down on his lip.

It was not important. He couldn't focus on Itachi now –he had a chance to see Sasuke, once again, after their last encounter, and he had to concentrate on it, or Sasuke wouldn't deem him worth fighting.

There would be enough time to focus on the Uchiha afterwards, when he got back from his mission.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed as he looked at the blond teen; his reactions were easy to read… the mention of the older Uchiha, albeit vague, had unsettled him. The Uchiha had been the one controlling him, keeping him caged…

One way or the other, the Uchiha were still ruling each of Naruto's decisions.

Clearing her throat, she returned to the point of the situation.

"I am afraid that now that Sasuke is with Orochimaru, the Council has decided him to be a threat to the village, and they might be trying to solve things their own way… knowing of Naruto's fixation with him" Naruto had the decency to look vaguely sheepish at that "placing a single man to both control him and scout for Sasuke at the same time would the preferred course of action".

"Hmm" Kakashi's visible eye narrowed.

"I won't allow any stuck–up council–lackey to get his hands on Sasuke! Sasuke will come back to Konoha!" Naruto spit out, growling. "Ne, Sakura?"

She hastily nodded, but her worry was clear. "Who is the shinobi, Tsunade–shishou?"

"His name is Sai," Tsunade sighed "he should be arriving today… after meeting up with him, you will be able to start your mission".

Naruto's pout almost made Tsunade smile.

"I don't care who this guy is! He's not welcome, especially if they're preparing something fishy against us!"

With that, he turned around and stomped out of the room. Kakashi's eye curved upwards, almost sheepish, and Sakura shook her head, muttering under her breath.

"He didn't even let me finish…" Tsunade shook her head, but there was a small smile on her lips. She knew that he wouldn't allow anyone else to interfere with his decisions, indeed. "Your new teammate is waiting for you at the training grounds, Sakura" she added, seeing as the only female of the team was about to follow her friend out.

"I'm going to go tell him then… Tsunade–shishou, Kakashi–sensei…"

Turning around, the pink haired shinobi followed her teammate out.

Instantly, Kakashi lowered his book and leaned against the wall, staring through the window at the Hokage mountain.

"This… Sai… he's from Root," he stated. At Tsunade's reluctant nod, he took a deep breath. "I suspected as much –it's Danzou's doing. It is good that I am in the team, but with the latest development with Naruto and Kyuubi's chakra, I wonder if I might be enough".

He remembered what he'd seen that day –the raw wounds on Naruto caused by the demon's chakra forcing itself out and lashing against its bearer…

Jiraiya would have been enlightening on the matter, but the man was nowhere to be found.

"I already sent someone to look out for Jiraiya, Kakashi," Tsunade clearly read his mind, and he shrugged. "You are skilled enough to intervene in case things get out of hand, but I received monthly updates from him during the three years… Naruto effectively lost control of Kyuubi's chakra, though it should be more manageable now that the second seal has come to effect…"

Nodding, the silver haired shinobi puffed out from the room, ready to follow his team.

Tsunade sat down at the desk again, wishing Shizune hadn't discovered her secret sake stash.

……………………………………………

Jumping above the few houses around the Hokage Tower, Naruto frowned and looked around. He hadn't wanted to ask about the new teammate to Tsunade, but now he regretted not asking…

He could be anyone. Sai. The name was Sai.

He already disliked him.

Sent by the Council to keep an eye out for Sasuke and control him, too?

'_I will not allow anyone to control me' _he thought, filled with self–assured vengeance.

A butterfly fluttered above his head, but Naruto ignored it in favour of looking down in the streets, where people were moving everywhere, including a few ninja and a lot of villagers.

Between them, somewhere, this Sai was waiting, ready to go to the Hokage to be assigned to his team.

'_I'll make his life a living hell –that's my word as a ninja!'_

From the top of a nearby building, a black–clad shinobi with a newly acquired Konoha hitai–ate slowly unscrewed the top of a dark scroll, extracting a long, wooden paintbrush from one of its tips; holding it tightly into his right hand, he gently unrolled the scroll, white sheet all over his knees.

With deliberately slow–paced movements, he then pressed the other end of the scroll, and a compartment filled with ink popped out from it.

With a flourish, the brush was dipped into the ink, flowing gently on the paper.

He took his time, as this was not a battle situation, and he could actually take his time tracing every angle and curl, observing the ending result with blank eyes.

Nodding, he breathed a jutsu, fingers coming together to form a seal "_Ninpou –choujuu giga_".

A mere second later, his drawing exploded in a wave of ink, a giant lion–like creature roaring out from it, no sounds made yet with open jaws.

It galloped into the air, unmindful of gravity, following the pull of its creator, roaring with silent voice, eyes concentrated on a blond flash sailing in the air, busy looking away from it–

Naruto felt something –it was the acute knowledge that something was coming and that it was dangerous; his senses suddenly alert, he spun in midair, grabbing the edge of a rooftop and pushing himself out of the way, down into the empty side–street and away from danger.

Not even a second later, something black with jaws attacked the exact spot he'd been in before.

"W–wha–?"

Naruto's fingers clenched into fists, feet attaching against the wall of the house and running up back to the roof.

With a pause to collect himself, Naruto looked back down, and had the clear sight of his attacker –a giant beast like none he'd ever seen before.

It was… although three-dimensional, Naruto's eyes unfocused for a split second whilst watching it, giving him the impression that it was flat and without substance, as ink on paper could be.

Then, the monster silently roared up at him, inked eyes focused into his own, and it jumped upwards; Naruto had just enough time to notice how the 'animal' had no need to balance itself on something to get up that it was already upon him.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!" rolling on the rooftop again, he brought together his hands in the familiar signs, even though he had no need for them anymore.

Three clones appeared at his side.

The first kneeled quickly, giving a support for the second with his back and hands, who jumped forwards and threw the third clone towards the monster.

The third clone kamikaze–d against the monster, exploding into contact but managing to destroy the thing at the same time.

The lion (or was it a tiger? Or a dragon? Whatever it was, Naruto had never seen something like that before) exploded like a water balloon, ink drops flying everywhere.

The first and second clone stood up and grimaced, trying to brush away the ink from their clothes.

"What the hell was that thing?" Naruto wondered aloud, nerves still tense…

One of the clones slammed against his chest and threw him to the side; Naruto gasped out at the hit, rolling away as the second clone puffed away. The blond shinobi had then a clear vision of a second beast silently sailing through the air, jaws wide where he had been before, targeting his first –and last– clone.

"_Kuso_–"

The jaws closed around the Kage Bunshin, which exploded instantly into smoke. The thing apparently wasn't hindered by it, but Naruto took the opportunity to stand back up and jump towards the monster.

"Take that!"

His fist fell through the monster's body like through water, and just like the other, the second monster vanished in a pool of ink.

Waving his fist to cleanse it, Naruto rapidly looked around, unsure as to where the attack had been from. If Konoha was under attack –no, if _he_ was under attack, then maybe some enemy was around, and he had to restrain and stop them.

There –Naruto's keen sight noticed the black–clothed figure on top of a roof, three buildings away, and narrowed his eyes, trying to make out his features.

He had a Konoha headband, yet had attacked a fellow shinobi… was it a mistake or was he trying to pick a fight with him?

'_I think I have my answer already,'_ he thought as he watched the ninja quickly draw something on his scroll.

Narrowing his eyes, he watched as four, five –ten creatures swarmed out from the scroll, roaring to life and flying towards him.

"D–damn it!" they were easy to destroy, but what if one of them landed an attack on him? He didn't know if they were strong…

Charging towards them, fingers preparing his usual seal, Naruto was about to yell his counterattack when–

"Naruto, get _**down**_!"

Instantly he ducked down, and flickers of darkness slithered up from the ground behind him, tendrils attacking every beast, making them blow up one after the other.

Not turning around to look at his unexpected helper, Naruto charged again, jumping forwards and extracting a kunai from his sleeve.

Slashing with one hand, he used the roof edge as leverage, impressing more speed and power to his blow, which was unfortunately blocked by his opponent.

Face to face, Naruto could finally look at him, noticing how pale the other shinobi was. Black eyes, black hair, black clothes… strangely dressed, a part of his mind noticed, revealing shirt that left his stomach uncovered.

And he was damn strong –his blow had been stopped far too easily, even though he hadn't used much strength to begin with.

"Who the hell are you…?"

Eyes wide, he stared in shock as the other –young, around his age, maybe– stared at him with an intense glare, eyes drooping slightly.

Under Naruto's gaze, the unknown shinobi's lips slowly shifted upwards into a cold, bare imitation of a smile.

"You are…" he hesitated, closing his eyes "fairly weak… So what **do** you have between your legs?"

Naruto spluttered, completely offended. "W–what?"

……………………………………………

The guards standing in front of the huge hall inside the Palace of the Kage stared in suspicion at the single man strolling through the corridor, clearly headed towards the office of the Tsuchikage.

He was wearing a small cape that hid his head from them, and he was dressed in normal clothes, bearing no visible luggage or bag on him, yet moving as if he didn't know his surroundings –clearly, someone who had never been in the Tsuchikage tower before.

The guards had been warned not to let in any stranger, so two of them moved forwards, their kusarigama extracted and pointed towards the intruder.

"Stop!" the guard on the right shifted his blade so that the sharp edge was pressed close to the stranger's uncovered neck. "No trespassing as per order of the Tsuchikage".

The man shrugged, slowly lifting one hand up to show a scroll to the guards.

"I have been appointed to give this to the Tsuchikage in person," he stated clearly, tilting his head to the right. "I came to Iwa especially for this".

Glasses glinted in the light of the room.

"This does not mean you can pass" the same guard repeated, shaking his head. "Step back –you can appoint a meeting with the secretary of the Tsuchikage, if it's so important, but the Kage is a very busy man, and won't lower himself to talk with whatever nobody who asks to see him".

The stranger also shook his head, shrugging a bit. "I bring… important information. By a… well, by someone who would prefer to be left unnamed. Information regarding the line of the Namikaze".

The guards were startled out of their tightly–controlled stillness, turning to look at one another with narrowed eyes.

In the past 15 years, nobody had dared to speak of the Namikaze anywhere around the Kage palace, knowing what kind of reaction that name received, ever since the Third Great Shinobi World War.

Because of a Namikaze, Iwagakure had lost the war against Konoha, all because of the destruction of the Kannabi Bridge and the slain of their troops by a single man, Minato Namikaze of Konoha.

Iwagakure had always had the greatest military strength amongst the other hidden villages, yet it had been vanquished by a single man, causing the village to suffer a great loss, with hundreds of casualties that had rendered them unable to fight, declaring Konohagakure winner.

Because of that Namikaze –then elected Yondaime Hokage of Konoha– Iwa had been hindered in its growth for the five following years, and only now the village had started to recuperate, growing stronger and trusted with missions and the like.

That name was a taboo, sometimes used by mothers to scare away their children to bed, mostly murmured reverently when speaking of a majestic, heroic enemy…

But that line had been long since dead to the world. Their last member, the same Namikaze responsible for their loss, had been dead since the attack of the Great Bijuu.

"Impossible" steering his fellows to calm, the head of the guards shook his head. "There is no chance that a seed of the Namikaze family could be still alive. You are only a liar, or a beggar".

The cloak fell from the man's head, revealing silver hair tied up in a short ponytail.

With one finger, the shinobi pushed his glasses up his nose, bangs of hair falling freely over his face, as if something that should have been holding them aside was not there anymore.

"Then, you give me no other option…"

The Tsuchikage turned a sheet of paper around and carefully read through it, lingering on the last few lines a second more, then stamped his seal down on the paper, placing it to a growing pile on his right.

Unfortunately, most of his days consisted in working on paperwork, something he detested (he wondered if there was someone who actually liked doing them?), and he would have gladly accepted any kind of intermission, if only to pause from that work, and…

There was a soft knock at the office's door, and the Tsuchikage tilted his head to the side, straightening his back up.

He had actually asked not to be interrupted, so he felt a vague irritation bubbling up inside him, but at least it was a distraction. He wouldn't extract revenge on his guards, just this once.

"Come in" he ordered, placing his stamp down on the desk.

Much to his surprise, the person entering his office was none of the guards, and the younger man was actually alone, eyes narrow, head covered by a cloak.

"Who are you?" the Tsuchikage's muscles tensed instantly, and he stood up and away from the desk, clenching his fists. "Where are my guards?"

He had enough strength to protect himself from any threat, and he was not going to underestimate this single person.

The young shinobi shrugged. "I had some problems getting in… they are… incapacitated, at least for now…" a small smirk on his expression, the young man moved into the room, closing the door behind his back and lifting one arm towards him. "I do not intend to attack, but I bring forth news that will surely interest you, and I had to make sure you receive them".

The Tsuchikage didn't move and didn't relax, but the calm appearance of the stranger alerted him even more; he slowly slid one hand down his robes, grabbing a hidden kunai.

He motioned for the chair anyway, and the young cloaked shinobi nodded graciously, sitting down on it and presenting to the Tsuchikage a chakra–sealed scroll.

As the Kage didn't look like he wanted to move any closer, the stranger pressed the scroll on the desk, away from him, and remained still until the other took it in his hands, fingers tracing the binding seal on it.

"It will open only with your chakra signature… this was made in case someone else tried to take the scroll away from me".

The Tsuchikage's eyes narrowed, but he allowed his chakra to slither through the seal nonetheless, feeling it release its binding as the scroll came undone in his hands.

"This is…?"

Eyes scanning the scroll, wide and shocked, the man's grip on its edges tightened considerably; he couldn't believe what was written, but…

"My master has… spies in the village, Tsuchikage–sama" the young shinobi stated, crossing his arms as he looked from behind his eyeglasses up at the older man. "I assure you that the information on this scroll is the truth".

"How can I believe this? And who might your 'master' be, then? Are you from Konoha?"

"No, of course not" he shook his head, a trace of amusement in his tone. "But my master has been hearing… things about your intentions towards the Hi no Kuni. About what you plan on doing against Konoha…"

Stiffening, the Tsuchikage turned fully towards the unknown man, who was standing up, smiling.

"How did you–"

How could someone know? He had planned things so secretly that outside of the closer circle in the Tsuchikage Tower, nobody could have been alerted of his intentions. Things were done differently, in secret, and…

"I have my way of getting to know things, and I assure you my master means no disrespect towards you… he is willing to aid you, at least unofficially… this is the reason I am here today, and the only thing we ask is for you not to… wander too far".

The leader of Iwagakure stiffened again.

He knew now who this man belonged to, and knowing it made him understand how he could know… after all, that man was no pushover.

If he wanted the Tsuchikage to follow up with his plans, it meant there was something to be gained for him, too.

It also meant that the information in the scroll were…

"I understand" he hissed, the scroll slightly cracking in his grip.

He was holding a terribly important pawn for his plans; he wouldn't trust the person in front of him not to intervene, one way or the other, but he could trust this information, and he _would_ use it.

With a nod towards the man, who was already walking out from his office, the Tsuchikage smirked in satisfaction.

……………………………………………

Naruto was fuming. Literally.

First, he had someone dare to question his manliness –who did he think he was? Stupid idiot– after having attacked him with strange drawn–monsters, then, just right when he was about to shove his foot up the other shinobi's ass for his words, the guy had just disappeared away in a swirl of ink.

Really, Naruto wanted nothing more than kick that person's ass and shove it six feet under, but he didn't even know his name!

"Naruto, Naruto, calm down, Shikamaru went to report everything to the Hokage, with your description I'm sure they will find whoever it was and send him to the interrogation department!"

Sakura placed one hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

She had managed to catch up with Naruto only when the whole attack had ended, finding a truly pissed off blond teen and Shikamaru, who had been muttering his usual 'troublesome' under his breath.

Asking what had happened, Naruto had then moved into a rant about a guy dressed in black and using ink to fight, with Shikamaru cracking his neck on the side, already losing interest in the situation.

"I will be going to inform the Hokage" he'd stated after a moment, clearly having had enough of Naruto's bitching. "The ANBU patrolling around will surely find him in no time, so please stop your troublesome whining, Naruto".

Throwing a dark look at the brown haired lazy teen, Naruto had grunted in reply, stomping away.

Sakura had waved back at Shikamaru and reached her teammate, trying to placate him.

"I am sure he didn't mean anything… uh, personal, Naruto… just concentrate on your mission…"

At that, Naruto's eyes narrowed down, nodding briskly. "You're right, Sakura–chan… I need to focus on taking back Sasuke once for all!"

She smirked, clenching her fist. "You're not alone in this, Naruto –I'll be helping as much as I can!"

With a curious gaze, Naruto turned towards her "I didn't quite ask you what did that old hag teach you, though… was it helpful at all?"

"Ah, of course it was!" remembering the hellish training she had received under the prized Legendary Sucker, Sakura shivered a bit. It had been hard, but worth it… her strength was par with that of Tsunade, and to balance the power of her fists, she had also been taught medic–nins' jutsu. "At the first stop, why don't you spar with me? I'll show you I'm not the same weak Sakura you left three years ago!"

Giving her one of his usual foxy smiles, Naruto returned cheerful.

With such a promising offer, he had nothing to be angered about!

"Ah, look! There's Kakashi–sensei!" Sakura smiled a bit, her eyes falling on the last member of the team waiting for them at Kakashi's side. "Oh, that is probably Sai…"

Naruto looked up, already sobering up, and froze at the sight.

The same guy from before –same black clothes, black hair, black eyes– was waiting with his back pressed against a training post, right at Kakashi's side; whilst the Jounin was apparently busy reading his book, a new one if the differently coloured cover had anything to say, 'Sai' was flickering a small brush through his fingers.

"Y–you!" pointing his finger at Sai, Naruto felt his anger bubble up again, threatening to choke him.

"Ah, Naruto, Sakura, welcome!" Kakashi lifted one hand in greeting. "Where were you?"

Completely ignoring his teacher, Naruto stomped up to the dark haired teen, glaring at him. "The fuck? _**You're**_ _Sai_?"

"Hello there, Naruto–kun!" Sai imitated Kakashi's greeting, lips twitching upwards into a cold smile.

"You… you know him, Naruto?" Sakura glanced from one teen to the other, puzzled.

"He's the guy who attacked me! How dare you–"

"Sorry about before. I just wanted to gauge the ability of my new team member," Sai tilted his head to the side, voice carefully neutral. "I just didn't know how much I'd have to look after the little prick with no balls…"

Despite his nasty words, his face maintained a mock–happy expression, and his words had a cold tone.

Sakura shivered slightly. She didn't really like–

"_**What did you say?**_"

Naruto jumped forwards, ready to settle everything down with a fight, and Sakura reacted just as quickly, grabbing Naruto by his arms and holding him still, using some of her abnormal strength to keep him from moving.

"Hey! He's our teammate! Cool down, Naruto!" she stated, bopping the blond shinobi on his head as he calmed down.

"But… Sakura–chan…"

She turned towards Sai, regarding him with an unsure grimace. "But… you're not that nice…"

Sai shifted his gaze and cool smile from Naruto to her, hesitating a second before it twitched upwards even more.

"Ahaha… really?" something in his tone shifted, making Sakura think he was trying to sound sheepish. "I like people like you… friendly crones".

Anger mounting inside her, Sakura stepped forwards, ready to settle everything down with a good fight –only to be stopped by Kakashi's arm on her shoulder, firm and heavy.

"Maa maa~, Sakura –remember what you just said to Naruto? He's your teammate now, so play nice~"

She settled down with a frown, feeling more akin to allowing Naruto a punch or two at the uncouth 'Sai'.

"Now, let's review things… why don't we just introduce ourselves?" Kakashi smiled under his mask, apparently easy–going and relaxed.

"Uzumaki Naruto," the blond muttered, throwing angered glances at the new arrival.

"Haruno Sakura," she stated in a grumbling tone, also glaring at Sai.

"My name is Sai!" the dark haired shinobi replied, still smiling the same way.

Naruto twitched.

"And I'm Hatake Kakashi… welcome to Team Kakashi, Sai" that said, the Jounin straightened up. "Now, let's review our mission. We have to scout the neutral territory between Ta and Taki," he threw a glance at Sai as he said that "unofficially, we are to set up a trap and wait for Orochimaru to show up –he will presumably switch hideouts in a few days, as the report confirmed. We have to be there by then".

Naruto and Sakura nodded, whilst Sai simply stared at him, waiting.

"No individual actions shall be taken," he continued after a small pause, looking right at Naruto as he said so "This is a strictly reconnaissance mission as far as the Hokage is concerned, and it is going to be dangerous –we are not going to fight against Orochimaru if we can avoid that, and if we merely end up gathering information, then so be it".

Naruto bit his lower lip, but grudgingly nodded.

He knew that Orochimaru was stronger than he was, and that if they ended up in a fight against him, it would mean lose another chance to get Sasuke back home…

He had to be patient.

"Please collect anything you might need for the mission, and let's meet at the front gates in thirty minutes" Kakashi checked the sky as he said that, wondering if thirty minutes were enough to properly say goodbye to Iruka enough that it could last him for a while. "Dismissed!"

He vanished in a swirling spiral of leaves, and Naruto stomped away quickly, ignoring how Sai's eyes followed him, emotionless and dark.

"Argh! I cannot believe he's our new teammate! That… that asshole!"

Sakura chuckled. "Come on, Naruto, don't be hasty…"

"But why is he taking Sasuke's place? Three people is enough for Team Kakashi!" frowning, Naruto looked to the side, not even knowing why he was so bothered.

There was no way any of them would ever consider this stupid Sai as someone like Sasuke, so he didn't need to be bitchy about that. Maybe he had to pity him instead… because he would never be accepted!

"He's definitely very vulgar," Sakura admitted, sheepish. "But don't you think he resembles Sasuke somewhat?" she looked upwards, thinking. "His face, his voice…"

The blond teen's head spun around in shock, not understanding how could that guy be similar to Sasuke. They were completely different… Sasuke's eyes shone with hatred and despise, whilst Sai was…

There was nothing in his eyes. As if he could barely know how do that stupid empty smile, as if even his voice didn't know how to use inflections.

He had attacked with no hesitation, his eyes set on Naruto all the while, unmindful of the blond teen rushing up towards him, attacking him with a kunai…

Shivering, Naruto shook his head. He had nothing of Sasuke's burning anger, of the scoff present on the Uchiha teen's lips as he fought, of his actions.

If anything, he resembled Itachi the most.

The same empty gaze, the same emotionless stare…

Naruto froze, clenching his fists to prevent them from trembling.

No, Sai didn't resemble Itachi.

He wouldn't resist in the team if he thought the two shared even a small resemblance, and there was none. He was not ready to face what had happened yet, and there was no time for that, either.

"O–of course there is nothing similar between Sai and Sasuke! Sasuke is cooler! No, he's just way better!" he protested loudly, grateful when Sakura simply giggled at him.

"You're right, Naruto, Sasuke is somewhat cooler" she winked at him.

He flushed, pouting "what do you mean 'somewhat'?"

She laughed a bit, and he felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips, too. He had missed this kind of hanging out together with Sakura. Even if his feelings for her were a bit… messed up, with what had happened with Itachi, and… and everything… he still cared for her a lot.

A smile coming from Sakura had the power to cheer him up massively.

"Let's just do our best for this mission, ok Naruto? Let's not keep our hopes up too much," she stated then, biting her lower lip.

Looking in front of him, Naruto gently nudged the pink haired kunoichi with an elbow.

Sakura was just as worried as he was, and he had to be strong for her, too, just like she was being strong for him.

"Don't worry Sakura–chan, we'll get Sasuke back… if not this time, then the next! But of course it's better if it's this time, don't you agree?" flashing her a grin and a thumbs up, Naruto straightened his back.

"Yeah! That idiot will not see what hit him!"

Yes, bring Sasuke back.

Naruto had to remember the priorities he had placed down for himself.

This was what mattered. The Akatsuki was nothing.

Itachi was nothing.

Understand the Uchiha… for both of Sasuke and Itachi's sake, he had to understand them, but… to bring Sasuke back was his top priority.

Smiling in determination, Naruto threw his fist up towards the Hokage mountain, smirking.

'_I'm coming, Sasuke!'_

……………………………………………

**StarsOfYaoi:** how was it? Was it satisfying at all? Please think about dropping me a review, will you? :)

_Ninpou: choujuu giga – _Ninja Arts: Great Beast False Image (Sai's attack with ink, it makes his drawing come to 'life')

_Kuso_ – shit


	25. Teamwork

**Thanks to ****all of you once again ^^ To know some are still following this… makes me happy ^^**

**StarsOfYaoi:** last chapter might have seemed not so in tune with the ones before it, but it's mostly because I started writing it after three years, and because it would work better read together with the previous ones, actually. I am also sorry for the scene that kind of equals with the manga, but that needed to be part of the plot, as Sai is rather important in the incoming chapters…

That said, please enjoy.

……………………………………………

**Rating**: M (or is it higher?)

**Summary:** Kyuubi's secret out. Akatsuki attacking. Fighting for strength, and falling for your ex–best friend's older brother. Maybe Naruto will have to deal with more than he imagined…

**Warnings:** yaoi, boy x boy relationship, _**angsty**_, torture, and such. Mental torture as well. Flames will be used to warm up food. OC warning as well.

**Disclaimer**: Not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

–**Flashbacks, memories, dreams–**

……………………………………………

**Winter Release**

**Chapter 25****: Teamwork**

He didn't understand.

Naruto truly couldn't understand –and he was trying. Oh, he _was_ trying.

Team Kakashi (and Sai) had been walking towards the borders of Hi no Kuni for the last three hours, an idea of Kakashi who had wanted to try and build some sort of teamwork going between Sakura, Naruto and their new teammate, Sai, but things had not progressed as their Jounin leader had hoped.

Naruto had tried to hide his dislike for the dark haired shinobi, but it had been quite useless, because every time Sai opened his mouth to speak, Naruto felt his eyebrow twitch in deep distaste.

Every word coming out from him was wrong –even a mild comment about the scenery was taken as a direct insult, and it had taken Sakura more than one slap on Naruto's head to return the blond teen to reason.

Not that Sakura didn't have a hard time with Sai herself –the teen somehow managed to get under her skin with an ease that shocked her.

Even Kakashi, who was diplomatically blocking both parts when the discussions grew too heated, was growing tired of all the bickering.

'_What does this guy have? He's got nothing on Sasuke!' _Naruto kept throwing glances at Sai, expression darkening more and more. _'He's just an emotionless freak! What if he looks… a bit like Sasuke? It's not a real resemblance anyway, and their attitude is completely different!'_

But at least, if Sai kept irking Naruto that much, it could keep him reassured that he was nothing like Itachi, either. Sai was not Sasuke, nor Itachi. Which was good.

'_All in all, it's just his hair colour, and his eyes. But there again, they are nothing alike..'_

"What is it?"

Shaking himself out from his thoughts, Naruto grunted as he realised he had been staring at Sai again, and now the dark haired teen was glancing at him expectantly.

"Please stop staring at me" Sai requested, still looking blankly at Naruto. "It is rather inconvenient, and keeps your attention away from our surroundings. You truly are weak and defenceless, it seems".

Naruto stepped forwards, glaring "There! There! This is the kind of bad attitude that makes me so pissed off! What is with you and this sudden malice? Do you even act normally at all, instead of go out of your way to try my patience?"

"It is not my intention to anger you," Sai tilted his head, but his expression didn't change. "I am simply trying out such a behaviour to see what reactions I could get".

Naruto growled loudly and stared off in the distance, trying to ignore him. He couldn't focus on this stupid idiot that he didn't even want in his team –what was important was Sasuke.

"Once we get Sasuke back, you'll get chased away from this team –we don't need you, team Kakashi doesn't need you" he muttered, huffing out and breathing out his anger. "You're just filling in for him, it's not like I can consider you one of us!"

'_Naruto…' _Sakura felt a wave of sadness hit her.

She knew what Naruto was saying, and to a level, she was feeling the same thing as well; without Sasuke, this team lacked something. It was emptier. Sasuke was, despite everything, one of them. Part of the team, and an important part, at that.

But at the same time, Sakura knew that she couldn't go against Tsunade's orders. It was important to keep up a good façade as long as this Sai was with them, and if they were to go along with it, it wouldn't be long.

She hoped Naruto could understand that, too.

"Naruto," Kakashi shut his book close and stared at him, ignoring how Sai's eyes flickered to him. "This is not what I taught you".

His tone was so cold that Naruto froze, looking at his sensei in shock. "Kakashi–sensei…"

"Teamwork is essential for a good team, Naruto. Even if at start you cannot work together, you have to strive to be able to. There might be times you are paired up in a mission with someone you cannot stand –yet, you have to work together until the mission is accomplished. If you cannot do that, you're not worth becoming a Chuunin, let alone a Hokage".

Naruto backed away from Kakashi, and closed his mouth shut, paling.

"But–"

"I remember a time when all you could do as Team 7 was bicker and fight," Kakashi continued, still pining Naruto down with his glare.

Naruto winced and looked away. It was true, though. And at first Sasuke, himself and Sakura had been a horrible team. They had not worked together at all, and it took Kakashi all he had to make them click.

So maybe…

Glaring at Sai, Naruto inwardly rejected the idea –this was not Sasuke. How could they get along?

"Teamwork is what matters now, Naruto," Sakura intervened, placing one hand on his shoulder and looking at his eyes. She tried to convey her feelings to him, and Naruto hesitated before nodding slightly in answer.

"I'm sorry" he muttered. Though he wasn't directing his words at Sai (he meant them for both Kakashi and Sakura), the dark haired shinobi shrugged and stared at him.

"It is not a problem what you think of me, in the end" Sai replied, clearly untouched and uncaring. "I wouldn't want to be compared to someone who betrayed Konoha and ran off to join Orochimaru. That person is weak and unsure, and ended up falling to the allure of power… and truth to be told, I do not care in the least of what you might think about me, either".

"You bastard!" Naruto growled, feeling his anger boil again.

It was clear that Sai knew what to say for it to hurt the most; Sasuke's betrayal… Naruto could understand Sasuke, but Sai couldn't. Sai didn't know Sasuke at all… he didn't know of the pain of having your older brother completely erase the whole family.

He didn't know of that stone, of the Mangekyou curse, of the pain and the feeling of not being strong enough to extract revenge…

Sai didn't know Sasuke, but Naruto did.

He knew what Sasuke had felt, and in a way, he was also guilty, because if Sasuke ever happened to know what had happened between the brother he hated so much and the friend he sacrificed to his goal of revenge, Naruto knew that he would be devastated.

If their friendship mattered so much that Sasuke had felt it strong enough to use it as means towards the Mangekyou Sharingan, then it meant something of it was still living in Sasuke… because Naruto was alive.

Because Sasuke had not killed him, in the end. Not even the second time he could have.

Sai knew nothing, he could not speak of these things as if he understood.

"You have no rights to talk like that about him!" pupils turning into slits, Naruto stepped forwards, ignoring Sakura's hand still on his shoulder. "Someone like you… you know nothing!"

Sakura stepped forwards, blocking him off and tilting his head towards Sai. "Please forgive Naruto for what he's said. You've been with us for a short amount of time, and we have yet to get to know you".

"Sakura–chan!"

"It is not a problem" Sai smiled again, and Naruto felt a chill run down his back.

The more Sai smiled, the more Naruto remembered the photo of the Uchiha family he had seen back in the Uchiha mansion. With little Sasuke holding onto his brother's hand, and Itachi's smile…

Itachi's smile, just as empty as the one Sai was doing now…

Sakura's fist slamming into Sai's face shook Naruto out from his thoughts, and he widened his eyes in shock, staring as Sai rolled away on the ground, before lifting himself up again.

"Saku–"

"Yet, you also do not know us, nor Sasuke–kun, so refrain from speaking until you know what you're getting into," her expression was serious, green eyes darkened in anger, and it caught Naruto's attention and breath away.

Did he have that same face when talking about Sasuke?

"_Become strong, Naruto, because we will be seeing each other again, and that day will be the last for our friendship. Now you're not__ even worthy of my attention"._

Facing each other after Naruto had managed to get out from the Akatsuki's lair –Sasuke had changed, but he there was something unchanged underneath that. That Sasuke was…

"I won't be holding back next time you speak ill of Sasuke–kun," she threatened the other teen, moving into an attack stance.

Sasuke had done wrong, yes –he had abandoned his friends, his team, his village… yet they were still up to protect him, because if they didn't show at least this much friendship towards him, what would happen when he came back?

Shunned away?

Naruto would not allow that to happen, and neither would Sakura.

One way or the other, Sasuke was still one of them.

Focusing on Sai in front of him, that same person that he couldn't help but feel angered at, Naruto was almost horrified to see he was still smiling, lips stretched upwards even now that Sakura had punched him.

How could he still force that smile on? What _was_ Sai?

"You can't be cheerful after having been hit, shit" he grumbled, confusion and anger mixing together inside him. "Are you incapable of feeling, or something?" _'Shouldn't the punch hurt, if anything? Sakura–chan's fists hurt like hell!'_

Sai glanced at him, wiping a small trail of blood from his mouth, and… his eyes were once again void of everything. If Naruto had truly needed to find a difference between this guy and Itachi, that was it; Itachi looked empty, yes, but Naruto had learned to read between the lines, and he'd soon be able to see that something was burning beneath the surface… be it lust, or the anger Naruto had been the cause of (_"What's under the mask?"_).

But with Sai…

There was nothing inside that Naruto could grasp at.

Was it just that he didn't want to search?

"To get out of trouble, smile. There is nothing as dangerous as a smile," Sai stated, as if reciting from a textbook. "With a fake smile, a person can still trick others into believing anything they want to… that is what I've read in a book once. I thought I could try this theory out, but it looks like I'm not good enough for it to work on the likes of you".

Naruto had the sudden urge to back away from Sai.

He couldn't understand him –reading things in books and wanting to try them out? Did he mean acting? Or did he mean…

In that moment, Naruto had the sudden image of a puppet, held by strings, fingers of wood clacking together as Sai turned fully towards him, ignoring what Kakashi was saying (_"Sakura, I thought you would restrain yourself, you're no better than Naruto…"_), ignoring Sakura's angered stare, and just –looking at _him_ instead.

Eyes void of emotion, unlike those of Sasuke, unlike those of Itachi.

"Who are you?" stepping forwards and surprising both Sakura and Kakashi, Naruto grabbed the hem of Sai's shirt, holding him closer. "… _what_ are you?"

Sai leaned forwards, smile yet to disappear from his lips, uncaring if he was being threatened.

"You have no name," he breathed out, loud enough that Naruto could hear, but soft enough that he had to strain his ears to, "you have no feelings, you have no past. You have no future. All that exists is the mission".

Naruto backed away, cheeks flushing then turning pale.

Recited words, yet finally, for the first time, something close to an emotion had flickered into Sai's tone, colouring it.

"Naruto –enough is enough!" Kakashi moved forwards, grabbing the blond shinobi's shoulder and yanking him away from Sai, not having heard what the dark haired teen had said, but fearing it had been just another insult, as Naruto's face confirmed. "I told you to behave… you're no twelve years old anymore, and I expect you to keep reign of your emotions for the duration of this mission".

Sai's face had returned once more to its emotionless state, blank eyes looking at the Jounin, and Naruto forced his heart to slow down again.

There was something he had to understand about this Sai, too, even if he didn't like him, and it was better to follow Kakashi's suggestion for the moment, at least until he managed to understand if Sai was a threat for the team or not.

"I… I understand, Kakashi–sensei" he muttered, shrugging the older shinobi away from him.

"Well then," the silver haired man's eye turned upwards, clearly relieved (at least on the outside) "we're almost to the border, let's continue for some more, and then rest for the night…"

……………………………………………

Entering one of the many rooms of the hideout, Sasori looked around, locating Deidara close to one of the weapons–cupboards, working on refilling his explosive tags' pouch.

"I have received a message from Orochimaru's lackey".

There was a soft shuffling, then straw blond hair shifted in his direction. "Is that so, un?" standing up, Deidara cracked one shoulder and moved closer to the other figure, who was still clad in his outer wooden shell. "That little boy… Sasori–danna, what did he say?"

With a grunt, Sasori flickered the message towards his partner, and the other grabbed it with one hand, the tongue flickering out to taste at the paper.

"No trace of poison, un" he murmured, a small smirk on his face. "Ah, that is… quite interesting. He's requesting another meeting, so soon after the last one… un, it'll prove to be interesting!"

Grunting in reply, Sasori turned around again. "If you are finished with preparing yourself, I will go meet Leader and then we will leave".

"Eeh? Do I have to come, too?" Deidara looked put off by the situation, and pouted, clenching a small amount of clay in one hand. When he opened his fingers again, a small clay bird was standing there. "I used quite a lot of my arsenal when retrieving the Ichibi Jinchuuriki… I haven't had enough time replenishing it, yet… un".

Flashing a disappointed gaze at the many explosives he still had to store into his cloak and body, Deidara let his lips shift into a pout.

He hadn't had enough fun lately, with the stupid little demon–holder running away like he had done, and Leader not allowing them to give chase, and now he had to follow Sasori to see that other useless puppet–kid, without even half of the usual amount of weapons…

"Move" Sasori growled, leaving the room.

He was followed by a loud whining noise, to which he paid no attention to.

If young Kabuto had contacted him to request a meeting, it meant that Orochimaru had gathered some information he wanted to share with them in hopes to channel Akatsuki's attention somewhere convenient to him, allowing him to roam free elsewhere.

The Scorpion of Akatsuki knew of Kabuto's new allegiance, but also knew how to read between the lines. If Orochimaru had something worth knowing, Sasori would easily distinguish what was important in the lies and half–truths Kabuto would feed him.

The snake might have taught Kabuto everything he knew, bringing him up to be the perfect spy, but nothing he knew could ever beat even a single member of the Akatsuki.

Sasori didn't quite care about it –Sasori cared nothing about most things, after all– but if it proved to be a hindrance for Akatsuki, the Leader would demand him to dispose of their former comrade, and having been paired up with Orochimaru, Sasori would surely be allowed to have the main part in that.

At least that –killing the old snake– would bring some excitement.

A low chuckle reverberated through the shells of Sasori's cover, echoing strangely down the corridor, the last of its vibes swallowed by the darkness, just as haunting as his expression, hidden beneath the wooden mask, was.

As he finally entered in the main hall where the Leader was residing, he noticed someone else already present; Sasori stared with no interest as Uchiha Itachi stood in front of the seat the Leader was on, silently listening.

Itachi's eyebrow twitched slightly, probably out of annoyance, and Sasori inwardly wondered how long the young man would stand to be in the presence of their Leader.

Clashing against each other, Sasori had no interest on which would gain the upper hand, but only of which one of them he could use as his next puppet, which one would linger forever, turned into a wooden doll for him to kill with.

Just like others had…

Itachi's eyes narrowed, their crimson colour spinning around, then he turned around and left, unmindful of Leader's lips curling in disdain as he exited the room, and Sasori took the opportunity to stare at the dark haired shinobi as he left, noticing how his forehead was wrinkled in annoyance.

He could feel the tension almost like a jolt on his arms, even though they were not of real skin and flesh anymore, and the crackling of chakra in the air was symptom of a barely avoided conflict.

Yes, he had surely been reprimanded by Leader for something.

That meant Leader was in a good mood.

Curving his body forwards, Sasori slid inside the room, allowing the darkness of his surroundings to hide the effective shape of his outer cover as he stopped right in front of his Leader, looking up at him.

To his eyes, the figure of the Akatsuki leader appeared unfocused, almost blurry between layers of darkness that seemed to curl and twist around his frame, leaving nothing to be seen except those white eyes, that had the power to make even Sasori shiver with… something.

"What is it?" deceptive, low –Leader was _looking_ at him, staring _straight_ _through_ _him_, without _seeing_ him.

As unsettling as it was, the Leader's blindness had yet to be an impediment to him, and Sasori was deeply aware of that; the Uchiha kid surely knew that as well, yet that had not stopped him from opposing their Leader again and again.

Whether he had a death wish, or he knew his own limits and strength, Sasori didn't know, nor did he care in the least.

As the Scorpion explained the reason he was there, he observed the way the man's lips twitched slightly in amusement, more of a sneer than a real smirk.

"I see" after a long pause, Leader tilted his head to the right. "For Orochimaru to willingly try to contact us… the information you will gather from this meeting will definitely be interesting. It might be that Orochimaru is still going to be of use to us".

With a small gesture of his hand, the Leader turned around, taking a few steps towards the centre of the room, away from Sasori.

Taking this as a sign of dismissal, the Scorpion retreated, still not taking his eyes away from the other man.

"Do not kill him".

Sasori grunted in displeasure at the Leader's last command, but nodded his consent and shifted backwards and away from the other man.

Leader was still careful with his actions, it seemed.

As for the two remaining Jinchuuriki, well…

Everything would come with time, Sasori thought as he moved out of the room. There would also be time later to extract some sort of amusement from Orochimaru… the thought was satisfying enough to appease him.

Behind him, the darkness shifted back in place again.

……………………………………………

Sliding down into the onsen's water, Naruto threw grating glances around, muttering under his breath and shifting until he was completely submerged up to his mouth.

They had successfully reached the borders of the Hi no Kuni, probably slower than they could have had, and Kakashi had deemed it better to stop for the night instead of continuing some more –probably because of the friction between Naruto and Sai, that was still palpable.

Naruto hoped that a good bath could relax his sore muscles and allow him to stop thinking about the prick –who, unfortunately, was standing next to him, and was keeping his eyes on the surface of the water.

The heat warmed his body up, and Naruto closed his eyes, ignoring both Sai and Kakashi and forcing his body to relax.

Kakashi, true to his self, was covering his face with a towel, keeping just his eye out, and whilst usually Naruto would have gone a long way just to see what was underneath the towel, now he didn't care.

'_I'm going to see Sasuke again,'_ he thought, feeling the water gently lap against his body _'Kakashi–sensei said we shouldn't fight unless provoked, but I don't think Sasuke is going to stay put… besides…'_

Once again, Naruto found himself thinking about someone else –Itachi.

Despite the fact that he had other things to worry about, mainly seeing the snake bastard and Sasuke, Naruto couldn't stop the thoughts still lingering through his head.

He hadn't seen Itachi in… a long while.

Not that he was missing him or anything, or at least he hoped he wasn't… but he found himself strangely more worried about finishing this mission and going back to Konoha.

Visiting the Uchiha compound again had to be postponed because of this mission, and now he felt antsy about it –as if something was going to happen, and he wouldn't have enough time to search for…

For what, exactly?

Itachi was not as important as Sasuke! Why was he messing up with his priorities like this?

'_Damn it! It's not that I want to see Itachi again!'_ shaking his head, Naruto tried to concentrate on Sasuke, but both of them were melting together in his mind –black hair and crimson eyes– and he could not relax.

Yet, if he stretched his imagination a bit more, he could almost feel the smoothness of silken hair through his fingers.

There were still so many things he wanted to find out about Itachi. Reasons, answers… would them help next time he met with the older Uchiha heir? Understanding him… what could he possibly have to offer, in any case?

Had Itachi acted differently with him? He could not know. It was foolish to even hope that Naruto, in some way, interested the older shinobi; he wasn't even sure why he was hoping to interest him.

Naruto had already felt what it meant to be under the interest of a deathly ninja, and that had not ended well for him.

'_It's not like I want Itachi to be like Zabuza, in the end… right?'_ Naruto fidgeted again, lazily shifting in the water. _'Even if I understand why he killed his family… I can't expect Itachi to regard me as an equal, either way.'_

"Naruto? Is everything ok?"

Startled out of his thoughts, Naruto jumped up from the water, waving his arms at Kakashi and smiling. "O–of course, Kakashi–sensei!"

"You seemed awfully quiet, though" the silver haired Jounin observed, a flash of worry in his visible eye.

"Ha! I'm perfectly fine, I was just–"

"Hmm… so you _do_ have something between your legs".

Turning around in a flash, Naruto glared at Sai, who was staring right into his face, that empty smile almost mocking him.

"**Why do you always have to think about penises? Who are you, a pervert? Don't go looking, damn it**!"

Standing out from the water, Naruto raged against Sai, who remained completely neutral despite having a naked shinobi screaming at him, until Kakashi had to forcefully grab Naruto around his waist and push him back into the water.

"I'm off, be nice kids" he chanted after a while, "or you will have to face a very angered Sakura when you get out from here".

Naruto froze and glanced at the division between the male side of the onsen and that of the females. Loud giggles had reached his ears when he'd yelled against Sai, and now he felt embarrassment and a vague sense of impending doom.

'_S–Sakura–chan…'_

Kakashi left the onsen, and it was only after Naruto let his body flop back into the water that he realised that the only other person in there was Sai.

Stiffening, Naruto shuffled away from him, stealing glances at the motionless dark haired shinobi. As he picked up the noises of the females splashing on the other side, he realised that maybe this was the perfect moment to inquire more about what Sai had said to him.

"Say," he paused. Those black eyes were now on him, awfully penetrating, and he suddenly didn't know what to say.

Sai pissed him off. Truly. He didn't remember if Sasuke had pissed him off like this back then, nor if Gaara or Neji had managed to annoy him just as much… but the thing was, he didn't want to be friends with this guy.

'_But I have to get along at least until Sasuke is back with us –__hopefully enough, really soon'_ with that thought, even ignoring Sai's attitude and words could be bearable.

"Are you going to keep staring at me, or are you going to use what little brain power you possess to make your mouth work? It seems quite the easy feat, considering how much you talk during the day…" Sai trailed off.

Naruto twitched, but managed to keep himself from retaliating or attacking the other.

"This –the way you speak, as if you cannot feel anything, as if you're…" he didn't know how to explain it. "What you said before, about how only 'the mission' exists…"

"That is how I have been trained," once again, Naruto was able to see a slight change in Sai's eyes. Something small, but it was there. "Are you not going to ask what this is about?"

Growling in the black haired shinobi direction, Naruto shrugged. "What is the point? You've joined my team because of the Council, you're not going to tell me about your private life or your 'mission' just because I ask".

Besides, Tsunade had already explained that maybe Sai was there to dispose of the Uchiha. Naruto wasn't going to tell the other that he knew of that, though.

"It is not that I have a private life. I have no life outside of my mission," Sai explained. "You seem to be bothered by it far more than you should. This is why you're so weak".

"Stop saying I'm weak. I just don't _understand_ it," he shook his head, sliding back down in the water, not looking at Sai as he spoke. It was easier not to get angry at him if he just kept his eyes somewhere else. "How can someone be unable to… _feel_?"

"I don't understand your fixation with the Uchiha kid either," Sai replied. "Why care so much about someone who hurt you and betrayed the village you serve for? Isn't it better to let him go?"

"He's my friend. I will do anything to make him come back to Konoha" Naruto grumbled, bringing his knees up to his chest. "Besides, I don't serve my village. I love my village. There is difference".

"In the end, if you die for your village, whether you do it out of loyalty, out of servitude or out of love, you still die".

Naruto stilled, and didn't look up when he felt Sai lift himself from the water and walk away.

As the sliding door closed behind him, the blond shinobi was left to wonder if Sai, with all his comments about being unable to feel, would even understand if he'd told him that all that mattered, in the end, was how you were remembered.

If you died out of love, out of loyalty, like the Third and the Fourth had died –it was with admiration you were remembered.

Love created more love. Loyalty tightened bonds of loyalty.

What kind of memory could there be if you were trained to die? Other than duty, what teaching, what example would be left for others if there was no feeling in the actions you did?

That true shinobi had to cut themselves from their feelings?

Without feelings, a great ninja was simply an empty vessel, and wasn't the greatest strength brought forth by wanting to protect something?

Naruto sighed. He didn't feel quite as angry at Sai anymore.

……………………………………………

Two figures advanced quickly through the forest, similar to shadows hiding in the darkness of the night with a clear direction in mind.

Fast, without stopping, the two moved on.

"On the move again, feels good to be finally doing something, hah, Itachi–san?"

Kisame inwardly sighed when the only answer he got was a soft, disinterested hum. Once again, he expressed his irritation by stomping down on the closest tree, leaving a dent shaped as a foot on its bark.

"Stop doing unnecessary things, Kisame," Itachi didn't even look at him, eyes fixed on the path in front of him. "Dispose of the tree now, we are to leave no traces of our passage".

Kisame winced at the obvious mistake and stopped, fingers coming up in a seal; water surged up from nothing to envelop the tree in a jutsu, the shinobi muttering under his breath as he did so.

After the Leader called in Itachi, the Uchiha shinobi had been in a bad mood, and Kisame, whilst doing nothing to attract Itachi's attention, had still taken the brunt of his irritation; having one of his members clearly disregarding his actions and coming close to openly attack him was preposterous for the Leader, and he would soon have to take precautions towards the Uchiha man.

After all, and Kisame knew this very well, Itachi didn't do well under someone's control, no matter who this person could be.

He just didn't want to be caught in the middle of whatever show of power was going to happen between the two of them.

As it was, though, Itachi was still part of the Akatsuki, and the moment he would stand up to end this was still distant. Kisame tried to take solace in the thought that by then he would have enough of a warning to get away before things got too far.

In the meanwhile, Leader's orders were quite clear –move to Konoha to keep an eye on the Jinchuuriki.

Maybe Akatsuki still didn't know what to do with the remaining two Bijuu that they could not yet extract, but if there was a way to get around that, they needed to keep the vessels intact and alive, and the Kyuubi host had the nasty habit of getting himself in rather dangerous situations all the time.

Not that Kisame cared. All he wanted was to be able to kick someone's ass for a bit.

"What about the spy?" he asked loudly, jumping on top of a rock and quickening his pace to reach Itachi. "Did something happen to him since we didn't receive the monthly report?"

The dark haired shinobi didn't turn around, grunting in reply, but right when Kisame had given up on receiving an answer, Itachi spoke, voice low and glacial.

"Our main spy has been killed during a mission," he stated, cloak flapping around when he jumped particularly high to avoid a fallen tree. "I will have to resort to the secondary spy".

Kisame frowned. "We have a secondary spy?"

Crimson eyes sharply looked towards him, and Kisame abruptly backed away, not wanting to further enrage Itachi.

"I planted a second spy our last trip to Konoha, over three years ago".

Lifting one eyebrow, Kisame fell silent, deciding that asking for any more information would get him killed.

Itachi inwardly appreciated the following silence, scanning the surroundings with his Sharingan active. Straining his eyes continuously with his Doujutsu weighed down on his sight, but he was utterly uncaring about it.

They were approaching the village quickly, and his attention was solely focused on the Jinchuuriki; of his mission, Itachi cared nothing. His interest was on the person hosting the demon, and not on the demon.

It would be the first time meeting with the blond teen ever since their failure to extract Shukaku from the Kazekage, and the dark haired shinobi idly wondered what he would find. The Kyuubi's chakra would have healed him of the horrible wounds he inflicted on his own body to escape, of course, but what about that inner fire? If Itachi had to be truthful with himself, he was even _curious_ as to what the blond kid was doing.

Was he still as obsessed over his little brother as before?

His sparkle of interest was still there, and despite his annoyance at the Leader, he was satisfied the mission to go back to Konoha to spy the Jinchuuriki had been assigned to him.

The image of that kid, eyes burning in anger and defiance as he held up the fallen Kazekage on his back, tail–shaped Kyuubi chakra twirling around his battered yet still standing frame sent a small shiver run down Itachi's back.

An occasion to see how that leaf was doing, if anything, was a priority in his mind.

The remaining of the trip was done in silence, the sound of their footsteps the only sound echoing in the night, and when they finally got over the surrounding wall, and the few taller buildings of the village appeared in front of them, Itachi stopped running, feet coming to a soft halt.

Kisame missed his tempo, advancing a few more steps before screeching into a sudden stop, hunched forwards; he turned around, grimacing, and was about to speak up again when he noticed Itachi flashing his hands in a series of seals.

Swift, fluid movements, then a small burst of chakra, so low even Kisame had trouble picking it up, and Itachi's eyes flaring a deeper shade of crimson, giving the shark–man an eerie feeling of foreboding.

"He's coming," he murmured, hands disappearing once again inside the sleeves of his cloak.

Motionless, the two Akatsuki members waited in the darkness, observing the shadowed faces of the past Hokage on the giant mountain above them.

Somewhere in the village, a pair of eyes snapped open in response to the call.

……………………………………………

"We are here," Kakashi unrolled a map and pointed at a spot close to the borders of the Hi no Kuni.

Sai, Naruto and Sakura leaned forwards.

They had rested for a good part of the night and had prepared to leave at the early hours of the morning, making their way Westwards for some time. The landscape didn't seem that different, as both Hi no Kuni and the neutral area were similar in geography, and so far they had not encountered anyone, either.

"We have been travelling through the unclaimed territories for a while –I want you all to keep paying attention to your surroundings. Anything out of place… and I mean _anything_… will be reported to me. There are rogue ninja scouting ahead, and part of our mission is to retrieve information on them as we move to the location of Orochimaru's hideout" Kakashi put the map away and looked closely at Naruto's face.

The teen had been strangely calmer during the morning, restraining himself from looking at Sai and ignoring his jokes, and Kakashi felt rather proud of his student.

Even when Sai had spent the ten minutes of rest to draw, attracting Sakura's attention, and the two talked a bit without malice, Naruto hadn't commented at all, simply listening to their short exchange with a small frown. Kakashi hadn't paid attention to what they said, other than a passing comment about a hand–sketched book belonging to Sai's brother.

Still Naruto had been decent, and it was a step forwards… Kakashi was not going to force things through.

He noticed Naruto's eyes harden up at the mention of Orochimaru, though, and inwardly sighed. "That's all. Let's continue".

They continued exploring the forest and the meadows, and Kakashi made them slow down the pace twice, eye scanning the foliage as they moved through the trees for any kind of trace.

Tsunade had been rather explicit about the extent of danger that rogue shinobi scouting the borders were, and that she didn't think they were just missing–nins, and Kakashi was not about to wave away the Hokage's feeling like this.

Konoha was slowly returning to its previous strength after years of hard work, and if some other Elemental Country was trying to look for ways to invade, then it was not a matter to be taken loosely.

Scattering away from each other, Team Kakashi and Sai explored carefully a good few miles, but only found some carefully–hidden traces that were older than two, three days.

Signs of camping for a small group of three people that looked made by civilians on the surface was actually a clever cover for a ten–man team, and only Kakashi's summon of Pakkun managed to tell them exactly what had happened there.

Other than that, nothing looked out of place; even the small, ancient shrine dedicated to the Ta no Kami that they passed on their way was untouched and silent.

"Shouldn't we continue on, Kakashi–sensei?" after a good four hours, Sakura was starting to feel antsy.

Their cover mission had been going on for too long in her opinion, and the location of Orochimaru's secret hideout was still far enough for her to be rightfully worried; Sasuke was so close, _finally_, and she was brimming with energy.

At her side, Naruto looked equally tense, unable to understand the reasons why they were still sticking around close to the borders.

Kakashi turned to look at the two, senses stretched to include Sai, who was using that pause to lazily trace abstract patterns on his notepad.

"There is something wrong," he stated.

"What? Why?" Naruto moved forwards, eyes wide "there is nothing here! Maybe the missing–nins that were found around here before have finally gone back to wherever they belong… why are we wasting time checking their old traces, then?"

"Exactly because of that," he replied, shaking his head. "There is nothing here to warrant an inspection. Ninja mapping the borders to keep control on a country… it's normal. By the reports we received, there should have been something that attracted enemy shinobi here, and traces of their passing by should have been sniffed up by Pakkun, yet… nothing".

"A diversion?" Sakura looked around, suddenly alarmed. "But for what?"

Kakashi once again shook his head.

"There is nothing we can do, at this point. I will send a report to Tsunade–sama, and then we will continue on" he stated. "Just keep your eyes open".

The three younger ninja nodded, and as Kakashi wrote down a small note and gave it to one of his summoned dogs, Sai stood up and pushed his papers and scrolls back into his bag.

"Let's continue onwards," Kakashi ordered.

They moved away, running through the forest at a good pace; unnoticed behind them, a small black lizard, dripping lines of ink from its body, slithered quickly under a bush, moving in direction of Hi no Kuni.

"There is still some time before we reach the hideout," the silver haired Jounin commented as they proceeded forwards. "We can't prepare a plan without having observed the location, but it won't be bad if we prepare ourselves for what will happen".

"If Orochimaru, Kabuto and Sasuke–kun pass through to their next lair, and we can't provoke a fight, how do we go about it?" Sakura asked, glancing at Sai and trying to be inconspicuous.

"We need to create a diversion and try to separate them in groups. If they have a storage room, they will surely need to collect a few things from there, so we can stage a robbery," Kakashi looked back at them. "If we manage to at least separate Sasuke from Orochimaru, some of us can keep the Snake occupied, and the rest…"

"Will talk some sense into Sasuke's thick skull" Naruto completed, a smirk on his lips. He clenched a hand into a fist. "Leave that to me and Sakura–chan!"

The pink haired Kunoichi smiled at Naruto's determination, her fists tightening as well. "We'll take him back this time!"

Sai turned his emotionless gaze to the blond shinobi. "I find incredibly hard to believe that simply because of some weaklings demanding his return, Sasuke will think back about his revenge and just follow you back to Konoha like a puppy".

Naruto glared at him, but his lips were still fixed in a smirk.

"Don't underestimate us –we devoted our training to that sole purpose, and we will not give up on him" he exchanged a fond look with Sakura.

This was something nobody would understand, in the end; Shikamaru and Kiba had more than once demanded to know why he was still so fixed on the younger Uchiha, why he kept striving so hard to get him back… they had stopped asking after a while, because his answer never changed, yet they still didn't understand.

"He's part of Team 7, and we're not complete without him. What kind of shit would we be if we were to abandon a friend in need?"

Sai looked unconvinced (not that his face ever showed anything at all) but did not comment, whilst Kakashi hid a proud smile under his mask.

A mere second later, the Jounin shifted his pace to move from his position in front of the group back to Naruto's side; the blond teen glanced at him and nodded, his senses stretched out. Kakashi looked at Sakura, who was already cracking her knuckles, then at Sai, who had his brush twirling through his fingers, face still blank.

They had all felt it –the flicker of chakra alerting them of an ambush.

"Prepare yourselves, we're about to be attacked" Kakashi murmured, hand inconspicuously lifting the hitai–ate from his eye. The Sharingan flared out, giving him a distorted look of the forest, chakra fluidly indicating him where a few of the opponents were.

As soon as he did that, a sea of kunai rained down on their heads.

"Let's go!"

……………………………………………

**StarsOfYaoi:** I promised you things would happen, did I? well, things are going to happen. I hope you liked it ^^

_Doujutsu_ – special techniques of the illusion and hypnotic type, using eyes.

Review?


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